The Rivers State Police Command has announced the arrest of four suspected kidnappers who have been terrorising Ikwerre and Etche local government areas and nearby communities.
The police said the arrests followed a discreet investigation into the abduction of a lady on February 25, 2026. The victim was released a week later after her family paid N3 million as ransom.
The suspects were reportedly apprehended by operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit along Ipo/Ozaha Farm Road while allegedly preparing to carry out another kidnapping operation.
Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday and sent to newsmen.
Iringe-Koko said the suspects, including two 20-year-olds, also admitted responsibility for two previous kidnapping incidents. One involved an engineer and his friend along Port Harcourt International Airport Road, for which the perpetrators collected millions of Naira in ransom before releasing the victims.
The Rivers State Police Command has recorded a significant breakthrough in its ongoing efforts to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes across the State.
This development follows the earlier kidnapping of one Miss Favour Chika of Igwuruta Community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The victim was abducted on 25th February 2026 at about 9:00 a.m. while on her way to her farm and was later released on 2nd March 2026 after a ransom of Three Million Naira (₦3,000,000) was reportedly paid by her family.
“Acting on credible intelligence and sustained operational efforts, Police operatives attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit Emuohia Annex, successfully tracked and arrested four suspects on the early hours of the day at about 5:20 am along Ipo/Ozaha Farm Road, where they were reportedly planning another kidnapping operation.”
The suspects have been identified as Usman Dan-Mama, 20, a native of Mubi, Adamawa State; Abdullahi Kabir, 27, from Damaturu, Yobe State; Idris Ismaila, 20, a native of Taraba State; and Mohammed Dalandi, 22, a native of Yobe State.
Iringe-Koko added that a search conducted after their arrest led to the recovery of a locally made pistol, a cut-to-size single-barreled gun, and 20 live cartridges.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to several kidnapping operations in the Igwuruta-Ali, Omagwa, Ozaha, Ipo, and Etche areas of Rivers State. They also admitted involvement in the abduction of Engr. Okoro Osita and his friend on February 12, 2026, along Airport Road, Port Harcourt, who were released after their families paid a ransom of Three Million Naira (₦3,000,000).
The suspects further confessed to the kidnapping of Sympathy Agu of Umuka-Mba, Etche, and Chioma Njoku of Obiri, Etche, on January 31, 2026, along Afara/Egwi Road in Etche Local Government Area. The victims were released after ransom payments of Three Million Naira (₦3,000,000) each.
The statement noted that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the criminal syndicate still at large. The command said it will not rest until all suspects are brought to justice.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adewole Adepoju, reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the safety of all residents. He commended the operatives for their efforts and urged the public to continue providing timely and credible information to help combat crime across the state.