By Ado Oyeyemi
The Rivers State Police Command has arrested four suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate following the rescue of a woman who was abducted while attending to customers at her shop in Aluu community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
Police said the victim was safely rescued during an intelligence-led operation, while the minibus allegedly used by the suspects to carry out the abduction was recovered.
According to the command, the operation was launched after the victim’s husband, identified simply as Mr Ikechukwu, reported the incident, prompting officers of the Violent Crime Response Unit to commence an intensive investigation.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Grace Iringe Koko Agabe, disclosed the development in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
She said the woman, aged 35, was abducted on July 11, 2026, by armed men who forced her into a white-tinted minibus before fleeing to an unknown location.
Agabe stated that acting on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, operatives tracked down and arrested four members of the gang.
The suspects were identified as Owhor Chinedu, 42, from Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area; Isioto Waribok, 30, from Andoni Local Government Area; Maduabuchi Emeka, 34, from Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area; and Joe Karachi, 28, also from Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.
She disclosed that preliminary investigations showed the suspects confessed to their respective roles in the crime.
Police also recovered the white minibus allegedly used during the operation.
The command added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend two other members of the syndicate who remain at large and to recover the firearms allegedly used in carrying out the abduction.
Reacting to the breakthrough, the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, reiterated the command’s commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.
He urged residents to continue supporting the police by providing timely and credible information that could aid investigations and lead to the arrest of criminal elements.
READ ALSO
- Glasgow 2026: Nyong claims weightlifting silver
- David Jonsson Takes Over As Black Panther Six Years After Boseman’s Death
- WAFU B U-20 Championship: Maikaba seeks positive start against Ghana
- FG Honours Outgoing IMF Resident Rep, Reaffirms Strategic Partnership with IMF
- WAFCON 2026: Payne eyes back-to-back glory with Super Falcons
The commissioner assured the public that all information supplied would be treated confidentially, adding that the command would continue to deploy lawful measures to safeguard lives and property while ensuring offenders are brought to justice.
