RismadarVoice Reporters, February 23, 2026
Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested 18 suspected drug dealers during a late-night raid on identified drug hotspots in Itu Local Government Area of the state.
The operation was carried out at about 11:20 p.m. on February 22, 2026, following credible intelligence that certain locations in Oku Iboko Village and Mbak community had become centres for drug distribution and other criminal activities.
In a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, and made available to NewsNectarNG, police operatives stormed the identified hideouts in a coordinated raid, leading to the arrest of one George Timothy and 17 others found at the scene.
The police said a large quantity of substances suspected to be cannabis and other illicit drugs was recovered during the operation.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the locations were allegedly being used as distribution points for narcotics, which authorities say have contributed to youth delinquency, violent crimes, and other social vices in the area. The Command added that further investigations are ongoing to apprehend other members of the suspected network.
The Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, warned those involved in drug trafficking and related crimes to desist or face the full weight of the law.
He reiterated the Command’s zero-tolerance stance on narcotics and criminality, assuring residents that intelligence-driven operations would continue across all local government areas of the state to dismantle drug dens and criminal hideouts.
The Police also called on parents, community leaders, and residents to support security agencies by providing credible information to aid ongoing operations.
