Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have rescued two women from being lynched by an angry mob in Uyo, the state capital.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday, May 19.
According to her, the incident occurred at about 9:45 a.m. on May 19, 2026, along Ring Road 3 in Uyo.
She said the mob stripped the two women naked, assaulted them, and attempted to beat them to death over allegations that have not yet been verified by competent authorities.
The statement added that the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John, happened to witness the scene while on his way to work. He reportedly alerted the police after noticing that one of the victims was already severely injured and bleeding profusely.
“Upon receipt of the distress call, operatives of the Command swiftly mobilised to the scene, dispersed the violent crowd, rescued the victims from imminent danger, and rushed them to a medical facility where they are currently receiving treatment and responding positively to care,” the statement said.
Following intelligence-led operations, police arrested one suspect, identified as Emediong Robert, a 22-year-old from Ikot Ekwere in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area. He was allegedly involved in inciting the mob and calling for the execution of the victims during the attack.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, has ordered a full-scale manhunt for other individuals connected to the incident, vowing that all perpetrators, sponsors, and accomplices will be identified, arrested, and prosecuted.
He reiterated that the state will not tolerate mob justice, stressing that Akwa Ibom must not be turned into a place where citizens are brutalised without lawful process.
He further emphasized that no allegation justifies public humiliation, torture, or attempted murder, noting that every suspect remains innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
