Police recovers over 1,000 looted chairs in Calabar

The Cross River State Police Command on Monday announced the arrest of one Johnson Richard-Inem, the alleged mastermind of the Oct. 24 looting and vandalism at the Calabar International Conference Centre.

The Command also disclosed that items including chillers, over 1000 pieces of customised chairs and customised designer carpets, among other items, were recovered from the suspect.

The State Police Commisioner, Mr Abdulkadir Jimoh, told journalists on Monday in Calabar that Richard-Inem, who is an automobile mechanic, was arrested at Esuk Otu, behind NTA Calabar, with the items.

“We arrested the suspect based on actionable intelligence during the house-to-house search which started on Sunday in the state.

“We have put plain cloth personnel in place to cultivate intelligence and to ensure that all perpetrators and receivers are arrested and brought to book.

“Anyone who still has looted items in their possession is warned to return them within the next 24 hours. So far, we have recovered over 1000 customised chairs, chillers, rug carpets, air conditioners and many other items.

“We are not resting on our oars; we also want to urge traditional rulers and religious leaders to make announcements in their various domains by urging those who took government property to return them immediately,” he said.