RismadarVoice Reporters
March 16, 2026
Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested two suspects following a raid on a facility allegedly used for illegal arms fabrication and production of narcotic-laced food items in Uyo.
The operation, carried out under the Command’s “Operation Zero Black Spots” initiative, took place on March 15, 2026, at about 9p.m. at a premises located on Idem Street, off Itu Road.
Police spokesperson, DSP Timfon John said operatives acted on credible intelligence suggesting that snacks suspected to be laced with Indian hemp were being produced and distributed from the location.
According to the police, a search of the premises revealed that the facility also functioned as a clandestine workshop for the fabrication and modification of firearms and ammunition.
Items reportedly recovered during the raid included refilled and expended cartridges, gunpowder, weapon-fabrication equipment, machetes, suspected narcotic substances, packets of chin-chin believed to be drug-laced, military-style clothing and a laptop computer, among other exhibits.
The police identified the suspects as Marsodi John and Koabasi Marsodi (also known as “Five”), both said to be indigenes of Uya Oron in Oron Local Government Area.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the principal suspect allegedly operated the illegal facility and confessed to involvement in the production of drug-laced snacks and the modification of firearms into smaller, concealable weapons, the command said.
The suspects are currently in police custody, while investigations are ongoing to track down other members of the suspected criminal network.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, reiterated the command’s commitment to dismantling illegal arms production centres and drug networks, warning that individuals engaged in criminal activities would face the full weight of the law.
Residents were also urged to continue providing timely and credible information to support ongoing security operations across the state.
