Rivers Police Bust Kidnapping Ring, Arrest Two Suspects, Recover Ransom and Firearm
The Rivers State Police Command has dismantled a kidnapping syndicate, arresting two suspects, recovering ransom funds, and seizing a pump-action gun during an operation that left two gang members fatally wounded in a gun battle.
Police Public Relations Officer Grace Iringe-Koko said the breakthrough follows the arrests of two individuals connected to the abduction of a female victim and three others on January 19, 2026, at Elele Waterside in Etche Local Government Area.
“Acting on credible intelligence, our Anti-Cultism Unit intercepted and arrested Abdullahi Ibrahim, 23, from Avara LGA, Nasarawa State, and Mohammed Hashim, 27, from Tafawa Balewa LGA, Bauchi State, along Ozuzu/Apara Link Road on January 22,” Iringe-Koko stated. “They were found with ₦2,383,000 in ransom funds and a pump-action gun.”
Preliminary investigations revealed the suspects’ involvement in multiple kidnappings, including the abduction of two females from Akpoku Community on January 8. The gang’s activities had previously resulted in the death of a youth attempting to pay a ransom of ₦3.8 million.
During the operation, police were led to additional hideouts, but some gang members resisted, sparking a gun battle that left two suspects dead while others escaped into nearby bushes with injuries.
Commissioner of Police CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju commended the officers for their bravery and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to rooting out criminal networks. “Rivers State will remain hostile to criminal elements. Perpetrators will face the full weight of the law,” he said.
The police urged residents to report anyone receiving treatment for gunshot injuries in suspicious circumstances, stressing that community cooperation is vital to maintaining safety and security across the state.
#UTVAfrica#
