By Chiburoma Glory Nwabueze
Rivers State Police Commissioner, Okon Effiong Okon in a press briefing on Friday disclosed some of the achievements of the command from October to December, 2022.
The Police Boss who noted that it is the last press briefing for 2022, hoped it would serve as a medium to keep the public abreast of some of the achievements the Command recorded in the fight against crime and criminalities in the period under review.
CP Okon Effiong revealed that from the period under review, the Command has arrested 22 suspected kidnappers at different locations in the state.
He revealed that they have apprehended some of the alleged kidnappers of one Mr. Seni Awosika, MD of GIPES Oil and Gas and Company who was kidnapped at Rumuokoro Flyover Port Harcourt. An incident that claimed the lives of three mobile police officers.
“On 1/12/2022, one of the suspected kidnappers was arrested in Port Harcourt,” he said.
He added that “on 03/12/2022, some of the kidnappers left their camp to negotiate the payment and exchange of United States Dollar collected as ransom to Naira. The police Operatives C4i Intelligence Unit traced them to Edepie Junction in Yenegoa, Bayelsa state… Two of the kidnappers were neutralized… Further investigation led to the arrest of two other members of the eight man gang.”
The Police Boss also noted the Command raided nine criminal hideouts in Ogbogoro, Rumuekini in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Botem Ogoni Road in Tai Local Government Area and other hideouts. According to CP Okon, 145 persons were arrested during the raids.
He further disclosed that the Command recovered 54 live cartridges, 27 arms, 136 live ammunition and 11 magazines. The number of recovered vehicles from either failed car snatching, kidnapping or armed robbery is 9 and a total of 33 armed robbery suspects were arrested during the period under review.
13 kidnapped victims in different police intelligence operations were rescued and 19 suspected armed robbery and kidnappers were neutralized. CP Okon also revealed that four illegal refineries were discovered and has been destroyed.
He also thanked residents of the state for their collaboration with the Police which has yielded the successes recorded so far.
He reassured Rivers residents that the police will continue to keep the peace and sustain efforts at ensuring effective prevention and control of crime in the state.
