Rivers: Kidnappers Who Killed Victim After Collecting N6.9m Ransom Nabbed

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested three suspected kidnappers who killed one of their victims after collecting N6.9 million ransom.

The command’s police public relations officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in Harcourt yesterday.

She identified the suspects as Hassan Mohammed, Bello Abubakar and Yusuf Ahmed.

Iringe-Koko said the operatives were investigating the kidnapping of one Humphrey Wagbara, of Igwuruta-Atali in Ikwerre local government area, which led to the arrest of the trio.

The police spokesperson said the suspects also kidnapped one Mercy Chinyere on September 12, 2025, at the same location and collected a ransom of N3.5 million before releasing her.

In a press statement she issued yesterday in Port Harcourt, Iringe-Koko said, “On 26th August, 2025, the Rivers State Police Command received a distressing report, suggesting the kidnapping of one Humphrey Wagbara, ‘m’ of Igwuruta-Atali.

“Operatives of the command attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit (ACU), Emohua Annexe, acting on this information and in a coordinated operation on 19th September, 2025, at about 0200hrs arrested three suspects at different locations in Obio/Akpor and Ikwerre local government areas of the state in connection with the kidnapping of the victim.

“The suspects identified as: Hassan Mohammed, ‘m’, 20 years old from Wandigah Town in Mandagali, Borno State; Bello Abubakar, ‘m’, 25 years old, from Roundabout Maura, Sokoto State and Yusuf Ahmed, ‘m’, 23 years old, from Hazari LGA, Bauchi State.

“During interrogation, the suspects voluntarily confessed to their involvement in multiple kidnappings in the state, including the kidnap of Onwuli Jude and Nwabueze Nchekwube on September 24, 2025, at School Road, Igwuruta-Atali, where they collected a ransom of N6.9 million before killing Nwabueze Nchekwube.

“The kidnap of Mercy Chinyere ‘f’ on September 12, 2025, at the same location, where they also collected a ransom of N3.5 million before releasing her.

“The exhibits recovered from the suspects include one G-3 rifle with Breech Number 10398, one magazine, one Itel phone belonging to Humphrey Wagbara, a kidnapped victim, three short daggers, one jack knife and one stainless short knife,” she said.

Iringe-Koko explained that the suspects and exhibits are in police custody, adding that efforts have been intensified to apprehend the fleeing members of the gang.