**Justice Served In Akwa Ibom: Man Sentenced To Life For Kidnapping Judge** In a significant move to curb the rising tide of kidnapping in Akwa Ibom State, a 30-year-old man, Nkereuwem Felix Effiong, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the abduction of a High Court judge, Justice Joy Unwana. This daring heist, which occurred on December 18, 2023, saw the judge and her driver, Idorenyin Ekanem, being kidnapped along the Okobo Esuk Inwang–Ndon Ebom Road. Tragically, the judge's police orderly, ThankGod Ekanem, lost his life in the attack. The State Security Service (SSS) swung into action, and through diligent investigations, Effiong was apprehended on July 4, 2024, in Uyo. He eventually cracked under pressure and confessed to being a member of a notorious gang known as the "Bling Bling Marine Striker Force," led by one Ubong Effiong, alias "Condiment," who is still at large. Effiong's statement to investigators revealed that the gang had carried out multiple kidnappings, including that of the judge, for which they collected a whopping N25 million ransom, with Effiong pocketing a paltry N300,000. The gang's modus operandi involved targeting locals and fishermen to raise funds, often using mini-buses for their operations. In addition to the judge's abduction, Effiong confessed to kidnapping a pastor of The Apostolic Church in Oron and another victim, whose family coughed up N5 million in ransom, with Effiong receiving a meager N50,000. Effiong pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, membership of a terrorist group, kidnapping, and concealing information about the gang's activities. On February 23, 2026, Justice Chigozie Sergius Onah found Effiong guilty on three counts and handed down a 25-year jail term for conspiracy to commit terrorism, 20 years for membership of a terrorist group, and life imprisonment for the kidnapping of Justice Unwana. Effiong was, however, discharged on the charge of concealing information. This verdict marks a significant victory for law enforcement in Akwa Ibom State and serves as a stern warning to kidnapping syndicates operating in the region. It is a