The Rivers State Police Command has arrested five suspected kidnappers over the abduction of a 24-year-old woman along the Igwirita–Etche Road and rescued the victim.

The command said the woman, identified only as Chinyere, travelled from Delta State to Port Harcourt on October 3, 2026, to visit a friend but was abducted along the road.

In a statement, the police spokesperson, ASP Blessing Agabe Kaborlo, said the command received a report of the abduction on October 4 and deployed operatives of its Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Diobu, to investigate the incident.

The police identified the suspects as Gift Okeregwu, 23; Okeregwu Onyekachi, 27; Bright Augustine, 27; Chijoke Nwalozie, 35; and Obinachi Rita, 26.

According to the statement, operatives arrested Okeregwu at a hideout along the Omuoda Pipeline in Allu, Port Harcourt, while the other four suspects were also apprehended in connection with the alleged crime.

The command said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects allegedly lured victims from within and outside Port Harcourt through online dating platforms before abducting them.

It added that the suspects had made statements admitting involvement in the kidnapping and provided information about other abduction cases in Igwirita and Etche.

The police did not provide further details about the victim’s rescue or disclose whether ransom was demanded or paid.

The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, reiterated the command’s commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state.

The command also advised members of the public to exercise caution when meeting people they have encountered through online dating platforms, verify their identities before arranging physical meetings, and report suspicious activities to the police.