Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have dismantled a kidnapping syndicate, recovering ransom funds and a pump-action gun, while two suspects were fatally wounded during a gun battle with officers.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the operation underscored the Command’s zero-tolerance stance on crime and its resolve to ensure a safe environment for residents.
She said the breakthrough followed the arrest of two suspects linked to the kidnapping of a female victim and three others on January 19, 2026, at Elele Waterside in Etche Local Council.

Iringe-Koko said: “This breakthrough is part of our sustained efforts to combat kidnapping and other criminal activities within the state. Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit intercepted and arrested two suspects along Ozuzu/Apara Link Road, Etche Local Council, on January 22. They were in possession of N2,383,000 as part of the ransom paid by the victims’ families, as well as a pump-action gun.”
The suspects were identified as Abdullahi Ibrahim, 23, from Avara Local Council in Nasarawa State, and Mohammed Hashim, 27, from Tafawa Balewa Local Council in Bauchi State.

Preliminary investigations showed their involvement in several kidnapping cases, including the abduction of two female victims from Akpoku Community on January 8, 2026.
Iringe-Koko said the gang had earlier been linked to the killing of a youth who attempted to deliver a ransom of N3.8 million, adding: “This highlights how dangerous these criminal networks are, and why proactive intelligence-led operations are critical to saving lives.”

She explained that during follow-up operations, the suspects led police to their hideouts, where other gang members resisted arrest, resulting in a fierce exchange of gunfire. Two suspects were fatally wounded, while others escaped into nearby bushes with suspected bullet injuries.
“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include one pump-action gun and N2,383,000. Our operatives have displayed exceptional bravery, and we are intensifying efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects, who are currently at large with operational weapons,” she said.

The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, commended the officers and reassured residents of the Command’s commitment to security.
“I commend our officers for their dedication. Rivers State will remain a hostile environment for criminal elements. We will leave no stone unturned in pursuing perpetrators, who will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” he said.

Adepoju also urged members of the public to report anyone receiving treatment for gunshot injuries under suspicious circumstances.