A notorious armed robber, one Malachi Uwem, and two members of his gang have been killed by men of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command in the Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state.

It was learnt that Uwem and two of his accomplices, Wisdom Akpan and Annansia Umoh, were killed in a gun duel with operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics Squad of the police command at their hideouts at Ikang.

Items recovered included one cut-to-size pump action gun, one locally-made pistol, a large number of cartridges, one gas head with a resemblance of a gun and charms.

The state police spokesperson, Odiko Macson, in a statement on Friday, said the robbers died while resisting arrest while another gang member, one Ndifreke Ebong, sustained a gunshot injury.

Mascon disclosed that Malachi and his gang had killed over 15 persons and inflicted permanent injuries on his victims. He added that the situation led to the shutdown of many businesses in the affected areas.

Listed among the victims of the were a corps member, one Lovina Chiwendu, killed at Ikot Ambang on February 20, 2022, a female teacher murdered while returning from school on February 21, 2022, and one Mrs Idongesit Damson, shot and killed at Okobo on March 5, 2022.

“Several point-of-sale shops and filling stations have been robbed by the suspect and his gang at Okobo Ibiono, Itak axis, and Uyo. Only recently, on April 25, he shot and killed two young men on the ground that the village couldn’t meet his demand of N20m but were only able to raise N5m,” the statement added. (Saturday PUNCH)

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