The Rivers State Police Command has arrested five suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate during a coordinated operation in Oyigbo Local Government Area, as part of ongoing efforts to combat violent crime across the state.
The operation was carried out by operatives of the Oyigbo Divisional Police Headquarters following directives from the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adewole Adepoju.
The suspects were identified as Ezekiel Emmanuel, 44, from Benue State; Chukwuma Mbanefor, 51, from Anambra State; Nicholas Diala, 65, from Imo State; Ndubuisi Uwakwe, 49, from Abia State; and Ifeanyi Nwakwo, 51, from Imo State.
According to the Police Command, the suspects confessed during interrogation to their involvement in kidnapping activities and admitted participating in several operations in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities. Police said efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest other members of the criminal network.
The Commissioner of Police described the arrests as a major operational breakthrough, attributing the success to intelligence-led policing in line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun’s successor, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu.
He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to sustaining aggressive operations against kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and other violent crimes, stressing that there would be no safe haven for criminals in Rivers State.
The Commissioner also assured residents of the Command’s determination to protect lives and property, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing credible and timely information to support ongoing crime-fighting efforts.
