The police in Cross River State have arrested a middle-aged man, Goodwin Ubung, with a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) and an AK47 rifle with 375 rounds of live ammunition
The command recovered the arms and ammunition from the man.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Aminu Alhassan, disclosed this on Thursday in Calabar at his maiden news conference.
Mr Alhassan, who assumed duty in Calabar on Wednesday, said the suspect was arrested in Obudu Local Government Area of the state.
“A surveillance patrol team led by the DPO Obanliku Division intercepted Ubung Godwin of Bebuabie village and one Christopher Udie of Betukwel village in Obudu Local Government Area with an unregistered motorcycle on Wednesday.
“On sighting the police, Christopher took to his heels, abandoning his accomplice with the motorcycle, while Godwin was arrested,” the commissioner said.
He said that one chain of GPMG live ammunitions and 375 AK47 live ammunitions were recovered from the suspect.
The commissioner said the command would do everything possible to arrest the fleeing suspect.
Mr Alhassan said Mr Ubung was being investigated to establish the source and mission of “this illegal act’’ and urged residents to assist the police in fighting crime in the state by providing intelligence reports.
Cross River has been grappling with cult-related violence and killings, among other security challenges.
It was among the states in the South-south and South-east that witnessed deadly attacks on security agencies.
Four police officers were gunned down in Calabar in February by some unknown gunmen.
