The Cross River State Police Command has said that it recovered 2,066 live ammunition and other sophisticated weapons from two militants, who had planned to unleash havoc during the recently concluded Calabar carnival.
The state police command also paraded 13 suspected criminals, the two militants inclusive, who were involved in robbery activities in different parts of the state between the months of November and December 2013.
Parading the suspects at the headquarters of the command in Calabar, Police Commissioner, Kola Sodipo, said the two militants, Daniel Sunday (25) and Prophet Friday (19), were arrested on December 24 following intelligence report.
He said the suspects, who were arrested at Ikang, headquarters of Bakassi Local Government Area, had planned to strike on December 25 in order to disrupt the carnival.
Sodipo, however, said after the arrest, the command did not make the matter public on the planned disruption in order not to cause panic, especially among tourists and other visitors, who had thronged Calabar to witness the carnival that had been branded the biggest street party in Africa.
He said, “Through sustained intelligence gathered by my men on December 24, 2013, Daniel Sunday and Prophet Friday were arrested in Ikang, Bakassi LGA. The suspects were planning to strike during the Christmas and disrupt the carnival activities.
“The following calibres of live ammunition were recovered from them: 800 live AK 47 ammunition 7.62mm; 634 rounds of General Purpose Machine Gun ammunition 7.2 by 56mm and 632 live assault rifle ammunition 5.56mm. Their arrest aborted the havoc they would have unleashed in the state.”