Police nab five kidnap, murder suspects in Rivers

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested five suspects in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 34-year-old Rowland Speech Horsefall.

A statement by the command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, noted that the victim’s mother, Gloria Iyenemi George, reported to the police that her son left home on September 10, 2024, to attend meetings in Port Harcourt but failed to return.

Mrs George explained that she received a distress call from her son on September 11, 2024, informing her that he was being held hostage and demanded a ransom of N300,000.

She noted that the kidnappers later increased the ransom to N2.5 million. Despite paying N300,000, the victim remained in captivity.

Acting on the report, Iringe-Koko said operatives of the Command arrested the prime suspect, Endurance Friday Thompson, a 23-year-old male, on November 3, 2024. Upon interrogation, Thompson confessed to the crime, revealing that he and his gang members beat the victim to death and dumped his remains along Abuloma Road in Port Harcourt.

She added that other suspects arrested in connection with the crime include Boma Otonye, 41; David Link Ishaku, 34; Moses Nsikak Benjamin, 29; and Emmanuel Aniete, 32, further disclosing that all the suspects had confessed to the crime.

She explained: “On the 1st of November 2024, at about 1410hrs, the Rivers State Police Command received a distressing report from one Gloria Iyenemi George, ‘f’ of Peace Valley Estate, Woji, Port Harcourt, suggesting that on the 10th of September 2024, at about 1530hrs, her son named Rowland Speech Horsefall, ‘m’, aged 34, left home to attend meetings on Dr. Peter Odili Road and GRA, Port Harcourt, respectively.

“She further informed the police that at about 2100hrs, she called the son to know his location and he informed her that he was heading back home. Shortly after that, all subsequent attempts made to reach him were unsuccessful until about 0505hrs on the 11th of September 2024, when the son called again and informed her that he was being held hostage, his phone seized, and demanded that she pay a ransom of Three Hundred Thousand Naira (#300,000.00) before he could have his phone back.

“After a while, the son called again and demanded the sum of N2.5 million from her as instructed by his abductors, but she sent him N300,000. The supposed abductors sent pictures and voice notes to the victim’s girlfriend, threatening to kill him if they did not receive the N300,000 in a reasonable time. Eventually, she sent the N300,000 into the victim’s bank account to secure his release, yet the victim remained in captivity.”

The PPRO further stated that the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to apprehend other fleeing suspects, stressing that the suspects will face charges upon completion of the investigation.