Police Arrest Kidnappers, Rescue Hostage In Rivers

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have apprehended three suspected kidnappers linked to the abduction of one Chukwudekwu Emmanuel, a resident of Lagos State.

The three arrested suspects are Chinedu Okoro, 38 years, a native of Imo State; Okwudiri Njoku, 32 years, a native of Ozuzu, Etche local government area and one Onyema Sunday, 25 years, a native of Ika, Akwa Ibom State.

In a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Agabe Kaborlo Blessing, said the suspects were apprehended while attempting to kidnap another victim, one Chisom Nwokolo George (male), who was deceitfully invited from Anambra State under the pretext of inviting him for an interior decoration job.

Agabe stated that the breakthrough, which was carried out by operatives of the Command based at Emohua, leveraged on the technology-driven strategies of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu.

She further stated that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects specialise in luring unsuspecting victims from different parts of the country through social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Tinder, using the images of reputable personalities to gain trust.

The command spokesperson said during investigation, the suspects confessed to multiple kidnapping operations, including the kidnap of Jennifer Nnaji (female), a resident of Enugu State, on March 1, 2026 and the kidnap of one Lakan Ayodele (male), a resident of Lagos State.

“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing gang leader and other members of the syndicate,” the statement added.

He also advised the public to be cautious when dealing with unknown persons online, advising that individuals should always verify identities of persons and companies for job offers, avoid sharing personal information, and inform trusted relations and friends of their movements before meeting any stranger and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station.