Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju. Photo: Police
The Rivers State Police Command says its operatives have arrested four suspected members of an armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate allegedly terrorising residents of the state.
The police said the syndicate operated across communities in the Obio/Akpor and Emohua Local Government Areas of the state.
The operatives recovered five firearms, including two AK-47 rifles, two pump-action rifles and one English-made double-barrel rifle, as well as a locally made revolver pistol and 58 rounds of live ammunition.
The spokesperson for the state police command, ASP Blessing Agabe, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Agabe said the operation followed a directive by the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, to intensify raids and targeted operations against criminal elements.
The statement partly read, “The Rivers State Police Command has arrested four suspected members of an armed robbery and kidnapping gang, recovered several firearms and ammunition following an intelligence-led operation.
“Based on credible intelligence, on the 4th October 2026, at about 1600hrs, the Commander, Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Rivers State Command, led a team of Police officers to Rumuekpe Community, Emohua Local Government Area.
“In line with the directives of the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju, psc, mnips, fcai, to intensify raids and targeted operations against criminal elements, operatives of the Command carried out these directives, which led to the arrest of the suspects.”
She identified the suspects as Chinemerem Uchewo, a native of Rumuekpe Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State; Michael Ishaka, from Adabor Community in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State; and Abdulahi George, from Oduoha Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The fourth suspect was identified as Gideon Okah, a native of Elele Alimini Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, who was arrested in Owerri, Imo State.
Agabe said the suspects confessed during interrogation to several crimes, including the murder of Joseph Onyeka on July 23, 2026, in Rumuji Community, Rivers State, and the shooting of a police inspector.
She said, “Preliminary investigation reviewed their involvement in several armed robbery and kidnapping incidents within Choba, Elele Alimini, Emohua and Rumuekpe communities in Rivers State.
“The suspects also confessed to the robbery and murder of Joseph Onyeka on 23rd July 2026 in Rumuji Community, as well as the attack and shooting of Inspector Womoma, attached to the Rivers State Police Command, while on duty at a checkpoint along the East-West Road by Elele Alimini Junction on 4th August 2026.
“Exhibits recovered include two AK-47 rifles, two pump-action rifles, one English-made double-barrel rifle, one locally made revolver pistol and 58 rounds of live ammunition.
“The Command has intensified efforts to arrest the fleeing criminal syndicate and bring all those connected to the criminal activities to justice,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Adepoju, commended the operatives for their courage, professionalism and commitment to combating violent crime in the state.
He assured residents that the command would continue to intensify intelligence-led raids, targeted operations and sustained investigations to dismantle criminal networks and recover illegal firearms.
Adepoju advised criminals and their collaborators to desist from crime, warning that the command would leave no stone unturned in bringing perpetrators of armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes to justice.
He also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly provide the police with credible information about suspicious activities in their communities, assuring them that such information would be treated with the utmost confidentiality.