Arrest six over phone theft, recover N5.65m in Borno

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed a boat incident in Kula Kingdom, Akuku-Toru Local Council, amid reports that 10 people died.

Community leaders have also called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The police spokesperson, ASP Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, said investigations were ongoing to establish the exact number of casualties and determine what led to the incident.

The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday evening amid tensions over plans to retrieve the Anambra Basin FSO, a vessel owned by Max Shipping Services Limited, and a dispute over alleged oil pollution in the community.

Community sources said some residents had opposed the vessel’s removal over concerns about the environmental impact of a reported oil spill, insisting that remediation and compensation issues be addressed.

Sukubo Sara-Igbe, a Kula indigene and President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, alleged that six gunboats arrived in the area during the operation.

He claimed that a boat conveying community members capsized during the confrontation, leaving several people feared dead.

“The top boat capsized the boat the community came with, and 10 lives were lost,” he said, adding that efforts were being made to recover the bodies.

Sara-Igbe also alleged that two local security personnel were among those feared dead. However, the police had yet to confirm the casualty figure or establish the identities of those involved.

A former spokesperson of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, also called for an investigation, saying the community had raised concerns about the reported pollution and the planned removal of the vessel.

In Borno State, the police arrested six suspects over the alleged theft of a mobile phone and the fraudulent withdrawal of N5.65 million from the victim’s bank account.

The command said operatives of its Crack Unit (VCRU) made the arrests following a directive from the Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmajid, to investigate the incident.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, the incident occurred on October 13, 2026, at about 9:00 a.m.

Daso said the victim, identified as Abba K. of Damboa Road, Maiduguri, boarded a commercial tricycle, popularly known as Keke NAPEP, but later discovered that his Infinix Smart 8 phone was missing from his pocket.

Following the complaint, the commissioner ordered a thorough investigation to track down those responsible and recover the stolen property.

“Through diligent investigation, digital forensic analysis and intelligence gathering, the operatives successfully apprehended six suspects allegedly connected to the crime,” the statement said.

The police said the suspects allegedly confessed to stealing the phone and withdrawing N5.65 million from the victim’s bank account before sharing the money among themselves.

Both the stolen phone and the entire sum of N5.65 million have been recovered, according to the command.

Daso added that the suspects would be charged in court after the conclusion of the investigation.