UYO — A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced 30-year-old Nkereuwem Felix Effiong to life imprisonment for his pivotal role in the December 2023 abduction of Akwa Ibom State High Court Judge, Justice Joy Unwana.
The presiding judge, Justice Chigozie Sergius Onah, delivered the landmark judgment on Monday, February 23, 2026, finding Effiong guilty on multiple counts related to terrorism and kidnapping. The convict was a member of the notorious “Bling Bling Marine Striker Force,” a criminal syndicate that terrorized the Oron and Uruan waterways.
The Abduction and Aftermath
Justice Unwana and her driver, Idorenyin Ekanem, were violently intercepted on December 18, 2023, along the Okobo Esuk Inwang–Ndon Ebom Road while returning from a court session in Oron. During the attack, the judge’s police orderly was tragically killed on the spot.
In his confessional statement, Effiong admitted to participating in the operation and revealed that the gang successfully extorted a N25 million ransom for the judge’s release. Surprisingly, the convict disclosed that despite the massive sum collected, his personal share of the “loot” was a mere N300,000.
A Trail of Criminality
Beyond the high-profile abduction of the judge, Effiong’s confession peeled back the layers of a wider criminal enterprise. He admitted involvement in:
- The kidnapping of a Pastor of The Apostolic Church in Oron.
- An abduction involving a family who paid N5 million (from which he received N50,000).
- Frequent raids on local fishermen and small-scale transporters to fund the gang’s logistics.
The Verdict
Justice Onah sentenced Effiong to:
- Life Imprisonment for the kidnapping of Justice Joy Unwana.
- 25 Years for conspiracy to commit terrorism.
- 20 Years for membership in a terrorist group.
While the convict was discharged and acquitted on the charge of concealing information, the court emphasized that the heavy sentences would run concurrently where applicable, serving as a deterrent to other criminal syndicates in the region.
A Victory for Law Enforcement
The conviction marks a significant milestone for the Akwa Ibom State Police Command. It follows the 2024 neutralization of the gang’s leader, Ubong Effiong Archibong (alias “Condiment”), who was killed during a gun battle with security forces in his hideout.
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The state government and judicial stakeholders have lauded the verdict as a vital step in protecting the sanctity of the bench and restoring public confidence in the safety of the state’s highways.
