UYO-The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has cautioned landlords and property agents to always undertake reasonable due diligence on prospective tenants before handing over residential accommodation to them.
A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, said this follows a trending video circulating online in which a woman was reported to have entrusted her children to a relatively new co-tenant who allegedly absconded with them before her return.
The incident, which reportedly occurred in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom , is currently receiving the attention of the State Police Command and investigation has commenced with a view to establishing the full circumstances surrounding the matter, locating the children and apprehending any person found culpable.
The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, Baba Azare, has consequently directed landlords, property owners and house agents across the State to henceforth exercise greater caution and carry out reasonable due diligence on prospective tenants before handing over residential accommodation to them.
The directive follows concerns that persons with criminal intentions may secure accommodation, gain the confidence of unsuspecting co-tenants and subsequently exploit such relationships to perpetrate crimes, particularly the abduction and trafficking of children.
He ,therefore, advised landlords and property agents to ensure that prospective tenants provide verifiable information before taking possession of any property. Such information should, as much as possible, include valid means of identification, functional telephone numbers, previous residential addresses, next-of-kin details and credible guarantors or referees.
“Landlords are further advised to maintain proper records of their tenants and promptly report suspicious conduct, unexplained movements or activities capable of threatening the safety and security of other occupants and members of the public.
“The Command warns that any landlord, property agent or other person who knowingly harbours criminals, conceals the identity or whereabouts of a suspect, deliberately provides false information to investigators or otherwise assists an offender to evade arrest will be investigated and, where sufficient evidence establishes criminal responsibility, prosecuted in accordance with the law,” said the statement.
The Commissioner of Police equally warned content creators, bloggers and social-media users against rushing sensitive cases of child abduction, trafficking and other serious crimes to social media without first liaising with the Police.
“While social media can assist in creating awareness, the premature release of sensitive information concerning victims, suspects, locations or ongoing Police operations can equally alert offenders, enable them to relocate victims, destroy evidence, change their identities or flee from the reach of law-enforcement agencies,”he added.
The Command ,therefore, urged content creators and members of the public who come across victims or obtain credible information concerning child abduction, trafficking or similar offences to immediately notify the Police, so that appropriate investigative and rescue measures can be initiated before sensitive details are circulated publicly.
“Henceforth, anyone whose deliberate actions obstruct an investigation, conceal an offender, compromise the rescue of a victim or materially assist a suspect to evade justice under the guise of content creation will be investigated and, where evidence warrants, prosecuted under the applicable laws.
“Parents and guardians are also strongly advised to exercise extreme caution when entrusting their children to newly acquainted neighbours, domestic workers, casual acquaintances or persons whose identities and backgrounds are not sufficiently known,” he cautioned.
Azare reassured the people of Akwa Ibom that the Command will continue to deploy all lawful resources available to combat child abduction and trafficking, rescue victims and bring perpetrators and their collaborators to justice.
He further called on members of the public with useful information regarding the whereabouts of the missing children or any person connected to the incident to promptly contact the nearest Police station or the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.