Police prosecute masquerade, group leader for assault, extortion in Akwa Ibom

Police prosecute masquerade, group leader for assault, extortion in Akwa Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has commenced the prosecution of a masquerade and a group leader over alleged assault, highway blockade, and extortion disguised as cultural display.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, adding that the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, has also proscribed the operations of the “Akwa Ibom Civil Society Forum,” a coalition of some civil society groups in the state.

According to DSP John, police operatives arrested two suspects, including the leader of a masquerade group, for engaging in illegal assembly, armed blockade of a public road, and extortion of commuters.

“The arrest followed a distress call from a concerned citizen reporting that members of a masquerade cultural group were attacking passersby, blocking a public highway, and extorting money from motorists. They were armed with spears, arrows, machetes, and sticks, and even assaulted members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC),” she said.

Police investigations identified Uwem Umanah, 45, as the leader of the “Ekpo” masquerade in the village. He was accused of authorizing his members to appear in public despite an existing ban on such displays.

Operatives swiftly responded to the distress call and arrested Umanah, while another suspect, David Michael, 34, was apprehended at Ukana Onuk Village while allegedly preparing to stage a similar masquerade display.

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Both suspects have since been charged to court after investigations. The command warned that it would not tolerate any form of lawlessness or violence under the guise of cultural expression.

 “The police will not condone intimidation or the misuse of cultural paraphernalia to commit crimes,” the statement added.

In a related development, CP Baba Azare has banned the use of the name “Akwa Ibom Civil Society Forum” by any coalition of NGOs or civic groups in the state, describing it as illegal and misleading.

The commissioner issued the directive during a meeting with leaders of civil society organizations (CSOs) on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at the Police Headquarters in Uyo.

 “The use of the name gives the false impression that it is the official umbrella body for all CSOs in Akwa Ibom State, which it is not,” CP Azare said, directing all groups to cease using the name immediately.

He urged CSOs to operate strictly within the confines of the law and avoid actions capable of threatening public order.

The meeting was attended by leading civil society figures, including Franklyn Isong, Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network, and Tijah Bolton-Akpan, Executive Director of Policy Alert.

Police prosecute masquerade, group leader for assault, extortion in Akwa Ibom