Omiete Joseph (Omable African News).
The Rivers State Police Command has paraded four suspects arrested for alleged kidnapping and robbery activities in parts of the state.
Parading the suspects, the state Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Bala said three notorious kidnap suspects, Blessing Akpelu, Precious Ebee, and Wisdom Oto Amadi were arrested following a series of highway robberies and kidnappings along the Port Harcourt-Owerri Expressway.
Bala said the arrest comes as part of an intensified crackdown on criminal activities along the route, which has been a hotspot for violent attacks on motorists.
According to Bala, “Blessing Akpelu (20), Precious Ebee (30), and Wisdom Amadi (28), all natives of Egbeda in Emohua LGA are known for orchestrating roadblocks to trap unsuspecting travellers and have been under police surveillance after an alarming spike in kidnappings, including the abduction of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member and two others along the Elele/Omerelu axis of the expressway”.
He said “Preliminary investigations revealed that the gang would frequently set up illegal roadblocks at strategic points along the expressway before attacking motorists at gunpoint and taking hostages for ransom.
“The first two suspects were arrested on October 17, 2024 by men of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Rivers State Police Command while the third suspect, Wisdom Amadi, who was identified as the gang leader was arrested at Egbeda on October 19, 2024.”
The CP further stated that the suspects have confessed to crimes of Kidnapping, adding that their arrest was made possible after the police traced their whereabouts through intelligence gathered.
He said investigations are ongoing to arrest their remaining accomplices and retrieve their operational weapons as well as to uncover the full extent of their criminal network.
Similarly, operatives of the Command also conducted two coordinated operations in the Elechi Beach and Nanka waterfront areas, targeting criminal hideouts believed to be hubs for illegal activities.
CP Bala said “Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the C4i Strike Force (Octopus) launched strategic raids in both locations, leading to the arrest of a notorious armed robber, and the recovery of one vehicle, arms and ammunition.
“In the first operation, conducted at approximately 7 pm on October 18, 2024, the operatives stormed a hideout in the Elechi Beach axis in Diobu Port Harcourt. Several illegal firearms and rounds of ammunition were seized during the raid.
The items recovered include an English revolver pistol with thirty-five rounds of 8.1mm live ammunition and one Excam Hialeah pistol with two rounds of 9mm live ammunition. Suspects evaded arrest by fleeing into the nearby river.
“The second operation took place shortly afterwards at a suspected criminal den in the Nanka waterfront area of Diobu, Port Harcourt where a blue Toyota Corolla with Registration number BDG 44 HE, belonging to one Iviuboosun Usanavi Okuru of no 24 Ada Williams which was robbed at gunpoint along education bus-stop was recovered.
In the same swoop, the Police arrested one Baridam Berebom ‘m’ of Mogho in Gokana LGA. He was arrested with an SMG Rifle with which he and his gang robbed a female NYSC corps member of her iPhone 12”.
The police commissioner has however, urged citizens in the State to remain alert and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station, while calling on members of the public to provide any information that could assist in the capture of these criminals.
