The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a notorious kidnap kingpin, Godswill Emmanuel, otherwise known as Emperor and three members of his gang.
  
Top security sources said Emmanuel was arrested alongside his second in command, Denis Onyekachi, alias Jagaban and his chief striker, Edet Okon and they have confessed to various crimes, including kidnapping incidents in 2018, 2019 and others.
   
Emmanuel and his gang allegedly shot  Governor Ben Ayade’s former Security Adviser, Ani Esin in Calabar and have been on the wanted list of  the police .
   
According to sources,  the suspects were arrested following a covert operation carried out by the Anti Kidnapping and Cultism Squad (AKCS) led by  a Superintendent of Police (SP),  Abdulhameed Awodi , when they burst  into Emperor and his gang at a Hotel in Akamkpa Local Council near Calabar.
   
The sources further said Emperor was declared wanted by the police and Cross River State Government in 2018, after he attacked and shot a former Security Adviser to Governor Ayade in his residence in Calabar.

“AKCS acting on credible intelligence extended surveillance and swooped into Opitex Guest House located at Camp 29 in Anigheje in Akamkpa.
 
“It was at the hotel they arrested Emmanuel, a notorious kidnapper, armed robber who has been on the Command and state’s wanted list for shooting the former Security Adviser and also kidnapped Mrs. Veronica, wife of an immigration officer, as well as robbed Mr Ikechukwu Nzie at Mary Slessor and dispossessed him of his car (Toyota Corolla, 2005 model) among other valuables,” the source added.
   
The Guardian learnt that efforts were ongoing to arrest other members, who are at large as well as recover their operational weapons and more.

ALSO, AKCS in conjunction with Operation Akpakwu have arrested another kidnapper on the state’s wanted list, who has been terrorising Akpabuyo, Odukpani and other environs.
   
Henry Okokon, 22, was arrested while the officers were on a manhunt at 8 miles in the outskirts of Calabar for the abductors of the owner of UDEC phones ,  who was kidnapped on Tuesday in Calabar in his shop.

The suspect was arrested after attacking another family in their home and setting their house ablaze.
 
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aminu Alhassan, who confirmed the arrest, said: “We are not making noise about our achievements, but this sounds a  warning to all those involved in sundry crimes in the state that we will continue to smoke  them out by the day.
   
“We have never relented in our quest to sanitise every part of the state, it is either they stay away from crime, while in Cross River or they leave because this place will be too hot for them to operate. They should leave now before face the consequences.”