News
Serial Killings: Number Of Dead Victims Hits 15 …Police Hunt For More Suspects
The Police in Rivers State said they have confirmed that the total number of women killed by the suspected serial killer, Gracious David-West is now 15.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura disclosed this to newsmen at the Command’s Headquarters on Moscow Road, after he inaugurated a task force to enforce the installation of CCTV cameras in all hotels in the state.
Dandaura said that after further investigations, the suspect confessed to have killed a total of nine young women in Rivers and six outside the state.
“After we did the last press conference, he admitted to killing only five. After the press conference, we interrogated him further. We took him round all the hotels one by one where he did the killings.
“He led us to the rooms where he booked and killed those eight people, and he confirmed that he killed more. He has killed nine here (Rivers State). He has killed one in Lagos; he killed one in Owerri; he killed one in Sapele (Delta State); he has killed one in Aba (Abia State); he has killed one in Benin (Edo State); he has killed one in Ibadan (Oyo State).
“So, now we have 15, including nine from Port Harcourt, six from outside this state. This was after we paraded him last week. After we paraded him, so many state commands have been calling to say this was the same man who strangled a woman in their place.”
The state police boss, however, said investigation was ongoing to ascertain whether they were other suspected serial killers in Port Harcourt apart from the three arrested so far.
“We don’t know whether he is the only person doing it or whether there are other group members. We have interrogated him further, and he told us he is the only person doing this, that he does not move with anybody. But we are not going to take that. We will continue to pursue them.”
While warning that the command would no longer allow hotels in the state operate without security cameras, he urged the newly inaugurated task force headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Valentine Olumese, to extend their operation beyond the Port Harcourt metropolis.
“Gentlemen, we have to enforce these guidelines. It is very important that we enforce it. If we had this on the ground, we would not have recorded this number of casualties. So, I want to urge the committee to make sure that they go round and make sure that any hotel operator, not only in Port Harcourt because there are hotels in local government areas, who flouts the directive is arrested and prosecuted.
“You must go round and tell them that they either follow these guidelines or close their hotels. They must install these CCTV cameras and do proper documentation of their guests. Go round in all these hotels in the state and enforce these guidelines, otherwise, we don’t know what will happen in the future. We don’t know whether he is doing this thing alone. For now, we just believe he is the only person doing it.
“We are not going to take chances. We will continue to pursue them. I have clearly instructed the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Area Commanders to visit the hotels every day and checkmate their activities.
“We owe it a duty to make sure that these guidelines are complied with. Any hotel that is found wanting, we have a way we will close it. If you report to us, we will seal that place,” Dandaura added.
The Tide reports that the 12-man special task force includes four policemen, four members of the Nigerian Hotels’ Association, three from Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism and one representing Department of State Services (DSS).
However, disturbed by incessant incidents of serial killing in the state, the Rivers State House of Assembly has warned that it would sanction hotels which disobey police directives to install Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in their facilities.
The Chairman, Rivers State House of Assembly Ad-Hoc Committee on Serial Killing in the state, Hon Kelechi Wogu, gave the warning when he led members of his committee on a visit to the state Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura at his office in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Wogu, who is the lawmaker representing Omuma Constituency in the state Legislature, said if the directives given to hotel owners were strictly complied with, the number of deaths recorded as a result of the activities of the serial killer would have been averted.
He expressed sadness over the sad development, and assured the police of the support of the 32-member Assembly.
According to him, “We are looking at the time you gave that directive as the commissioner of police that they should install CCTV cameras, and they all agreed and left.
“We as an Assembly won’t spare those hotels that failed to comply with your directives because if those directives were complied with, we would not have lost more lives. The fact is that you have saved lives. If you had not apprehended that miscreant by now, we would have recorded other killings,” the lawmaker said,
Wogu further said that following the committee’s investigations, it was discovered that the number of women allegedly killed by the suspect has increased from the earlier nine.
While commending the efforts of the police in carrying out due diligence in their investigation, he advised hotel owners to ensure the safety of lives and property in their facilities by recording details of customers who visit there.
“We, Rivers people are not interested in only the serial killer. We are interested in the serial killers because we still believe that they are more. While investigation is going on, more facts will emerge.
“We strongly believe that one man wearing one cloth for over 15 crimes committed in different days must be mysterious even when you know you are being shown in the social media. People are looking at you, if not that I watched the clip and saw when he said that he ties them, because I wanted to ask why after killing them, why still tying them?”
He also urged the Nigerian police to do their best to unravel others involved because David-West may not be working alone in the killings, just as he asked the police to shut down the hotel where the manager concealed the activities of the suspected serial killer when he lodged there.
In his speech, the state Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura said investigations were still ongoing on the case of the serial killing, and urged members of the public to always provide information to the police to help them in fighting crime in the state.
He said, “If all the hotels where he did the previous killings gave us his identity immediately, he wouldn’t have succeeded in killing this number of women.”
Dennis Naku
News
Rivers DPOs Receive Awards For Outstanding Performance In Crime Prevention …As Students, Media Group Honour CSP Worgu, CSP Yusuf
Two Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Rivers State have been honoured by separate groups for their contributions to security, crime prevention and improved community-police relations in their respective areas of responsibility.
The beneficiaries are the DPO of Afam Police Division, CSP Endurance Worgu and his counterpart at Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf.
CSP Worgu was honoured by a group of students under the aegis of Rivers State Graduate Students Associations for what they described as his commitment and outstanding performance in the discharge of his duties.
The students, led by Chidi John Enyie, Esq. said CSP Worgu was selected based on his track record and status as one of the longest-serving young DPOs of Rivers State origin.
According to the group, CSP Worgu has made significant contributions to the protection of lives and property in the area since assuming office following the #EndSARS period.
The students said they were particularly impressed by the improvement in community-police relations under his leadership, noting that professionalism had remained a key feature of his service.
Enyie represented by Comrade Briggs Soku, said the students community was pleased to identify with a Rivers indigene who had distinguished himself in the police force.
He said the students considered it necessary to encourage and celebrate CSP Worgu because of his achievements as a young Rivers man excelling in a profession that many people from the state were often reluctant to join.
Receiving the award at his office in Afam, CSP Worgu expressed gratitude to God and the students for finding him worthy of the honour.
The DPO said the recognition had boosted his morale and encouraged him to sustain his efforts towards maintaining peace and security in the area.
He said he least expected the honour, particularly because it came from the students, adding that the recognition would further motivate him to serve the people better.
CSP Worgu assured residents of Afam that the police would sustain the existing peace in the area.
He appealed to members of the public to support the police by providing credible and timely information, stressing that useful information from residents would make the job of security personnel easier.
Meanwhile, the Ikwerre/Etche Media Association has also honoured the DPO of Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf, for his efforts in tackling criminal activities in the area.
The media group presented the award following the swift tracking and arrest of five suspected kidnappers who had allegedly terrorised residents of the Kom-Kom axis and other parts of Oyigbo.
The group commended CSP Bello for what it described as his determined efforts to restore confidence and security in the affected communities, particularly Kom-Kom and Obeama.
According to the group, the arrest of the suspects demonstrated the DPO’s commitment to tackling criminality and safeguarding residents.
The media association said residents had received the development with relief, noting that the police action had sent a strong message to criminal elements operating in the area.
Responding, CSP Yusuf appreciated the group for the recognition and reaffirmed that there would be no room for criminality in Oyigbo.
He also commended the media for its role in disseminating credible information to the public, saying the media had remained supportive of the police in the fight against crime.
CSP Yusuf warned criminal elements operating in Oyigbo to leave the area or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.
He assured residents that the police would continue to pursue criminals and work to dismantle their hideouts, regardless of where they might be operating.
News
College Of Bishops Endorses Tinubu, APC Candidates For 2027 Polls
The 5000 Achievers Christian Forum and Colleges of Bishops, Archbishops and Apostles, a Christian interdenominational organisation, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State for the 2027 general elections.
International President of the forum, Archbishop Lucky Aroh, disclosed this during the ordination and consecration of three new Bishops, as well as an award ceremony held in Port Harcourt.
Aroh said the performance of the APC-led Federal Government had endeared the party to the organisation, prompting the forum to declare its support for President Tinubu and other APC candidates in Rivers State.
He said the forum would support all APC candidates in the state during the 2027 elections and urged Nigerians to vote for the party.
Aroh, who is also the General Overseer of Caring Peoples Church, Port Harcourt, charged the newly consecrated Bishops to see their new positions as a great responsibility and dedicate themselves to the advancement of the kingdom of God.
He cautioned them against conduct capable of bringing their offices into disrepute, stressing that their activities would be closely watched by members of the public.
“As Bishops, the eyes of the public are on your activities. You must therefore conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of your calling,” he said.
Also speaking, the International Coordinator of the forum, Bishop Saint Robinson, urged the newly consecrated Bishops to work diligently towards winning souls for the kingdom of God.
Robinson, who was the guest speaker at the event, stressed that the activities of Bishops must at all times be guided by godly principles.
He also called on members of the church to support and cooperate with the newly consecrated Bishops in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The Secretary of the College, Apostle Elizabeth Ayadi Abaye, said the organisation was established to advance the kingdom of God and promote spiritual development.
According to her, the forum has organised several crusades, conferences, prayer meetings, ordinations, consecrations, enthronements, empowerment programmes and other spiritual development activities across the country as part of efforts to win souls for Christ.
Abaye said the organisation has members across the world and disclosed that more programmes had been scheduled to promote the spiritual development and wellbeing of humanity.
The three Bishops consecrated at the ceremony were Prince Alban Chike, Testimony Omenihu Shedrach and Prince Ifemena.
Among those honoured at the event were the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Abali Community, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Manuchimso Prince Lemmy Wopara, and Clifford Oko Jaja, Coordinator of the 5,000 House-to-House for President Tinubu.
By: John Bibor
News
Police Arrest Fake Soldier, Others For Armed Robbery, Kidnapping
The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 49-year-old suspected fake soldier, Andrew Atausi, and several other suspects in connection with various criminal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, one-chance robbery and the alleged murder of police officers.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, recently during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, where he said the arrests formed part of the operational achievements recorded by the Command between June and August 2026.
Adepoju said Atausi was arrested on August 10 by police operatives along Ada George, Port Harcourt, while dressed in military uniform and driving a Toyota Hilux painted in Army colours.
The Commissioner said investigation revealed that Atausi was not a member of the Armed Forces, adding that he was suspected to be a serial car snatcher, with three suspected stolen vehicles recovered from him.
He said the recovered vehicles included three Toyota Hilux vehicles without registration numbers and a Toyota Corona Premio with registration number BNY 380 ES, noting that the chassis and engine numbers of the vehicles had allegedly been tampered with.
Adepoju added that an axe and military accoutrements were also recovered from Atausi, as investigation continued into the circumstances surrounding the vehicles and other items recovered from him.
On the June 29 attack on police officers at Aluu Division, the Commissioner said three members of the gang allegedly responsible for the incident had been arrested by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU-AKU.
The suspects, identified as Maduabuchi Emeka, 34, alleged gang leader; Doctor Chinedu Owhor, 42, and Kamachi Joe, 28, alleged armourer, reportedly led operatives to their hideout at Omagwa where two AK-47 rifles stolen during the attack were recovered.
Adepoju recalled that two police officers were killed during the Aluu attack, while others were wounded and one officer had his leg amputated, stressing that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fourth suspect.
On kidnapping, the Commissioner said five members of a suspected kidnapping syndicate were arrested in Oyigbo Local Government Area, adding that they allegedly confessed to operations in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.
He said two other suspects from the same network, Anele Ogbogu, 35, alleged to be the gang’s armourer, and Kenneth Eke, 38, were arrested on July 27, with one AK-47 rifle and one SMG rifle recovered.
The Commissioner further disclosed the arrest of suspects in connection with alleged firearm offences, armed robbery, cultism and one-chance robbery, with firearms, ammunition and other exhibits recovered during the operations.
Adepoju assured residents that the Command would sustain intelligence-led, proactive and community-oriented policing in collaboration with other security agencies, while urging members of the public to continue providing credible information that would assist the police in combating crime across Rivers State.
By; King Onunwor
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