The Rivers State Police Command has arrested 30 suspects for their alleged criminal activities across the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka, who disclosed this at the parade of the suspects at the command headquarters in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday, said among the items recovered from the alleged suspects, include 1,050 bags of fertiliser loaded in a trailer, a child and seven kidnap victims, among others.
Eboka disclosed that some of the suspects were involved in car theft, kidnapping and attempted procurement of arms, among other crimes.
According to him,some suspects have made useful statements that would aid the arrest of some fleeing suspects, assuring that they would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded.
The state commissioner of police averred that operatives of Elimgbu undercover on June 10, 2022, responded to a distress call at Oil Mill Flyover where they arrested three suspected armed robbers, with a white Hilux car, who attacked one Mohammed Sule ‘m’, the driver of a DAF truck with Reg. No. PKM 491 XA, which carried I,050 bags of fertiliser valued N22, 000,000. 00 and the DAF truck valued N23,000,000.00 from Onne for delivery in Kano State.
The robbers attacked and took them to Igbo/Etche bush where they diverted the goods and lorry.
He, however, said that on sighting the police, the hijackers zoomed off,adding that the “operatives swung into action and gave them a hot chase, which led to their arrest while one of them was fatally wounded.
“Investigation is still in progress”.
He gave the names of suspectsas Jiddda Usman ‘m’ age 40 years old; Iliya Adamu ‘m’ age 34 years old; Haruna Garuba‘m’ age 33 years old; Emmanuel Iyam‘m’ age 21 years old; Musa Samaila‘m’and age 35 years old; and ZubairoAbdulasalem.
“On June 12, 2022, operatives attached to Operation Puff Adder while on routine patrol along Day Hotel, Rumuekini in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Port Harcourt, arrested one Kingsley Timothy of same address in possession of a firearm, and he could not give a satisfactory account of it. Investigation is ongoing.Exhibit recovered:one locally made single barrel gun.
“Also,on the June 2, 2022, operatives of the C4i Intelligence Unit, while on a follow-up of a case where one David Kalu Onyems ‘m’ was kidnapped between Abia and Rivers State boundary on May 19, 2022, arrested one Ubong Emmanuel ‘m’ who confessed to the crime, and led the operatives to a shallow grave where the victim was buried. The body has been exhumed and deposited at the mortuary, awaiting a post-mortem examination”.
According to him,”other suspects arrested as a result of follow-upinvestigations include, Kenneth Owhonda‘m’ aged 18years; Goodness Kalu Smart ‘m’ aged 18years; Dennis Igwe‘m’ aged 18years; IbentaOha‘m’ aged 18years; Idaresit Emmanuel Kpene a.k.a. Daddy Boy ‘m’ aged 20years; Favour John ‘m’ aged 18years; and Mercy Udoh‘m’ aged 43years. Exhibits recovered from them include; one AK-47 magazine, and one pistol.”
He said: “I want to share with you some lofty achievements we have recorded in the area of crime-fighting.
“We have the number of suspects paraded here at 30; the sum of N1.3million, six arms, eight ammunition, one magazine, were recovered, while seven kidnapped victims and one child were rescued.
“I want to reassure residents of the state that we are not going to rest on our oars to eradicate crime in Rivers State.”
The commissioner further disclosed that operatives of the C4i Intelligence Unit, while on intelligence report, followed up a case where one David Kalu Onyems, ‘m’, was kidnapped between Abia and Rivers State boundary on May 19, 2022, by a kidnap syndicate of 12 teenagers and on June 2, arrested one Ubong Emmanuel, who confessed to the crime and led the operatives to a shallow grave, where the victim was buried.
One of the suspects, Goodness Kalu Smart, male, 18 from Abia State, said: “I was involved in the kidnapping and the idea came from my boss. His name is Donald. He is from Rivers State. He introduced me to the kidnapping team and made us swear an oath.
“The first kidnapping job we did, I did not go with them but I slept in the bush with the victim, the same with the second job but the third one I was fully involved.
“After the victim died, our boss told us that since the man had died there was nothing for us. After three days, unknown to me our boss collected the man’s SIM card, he called me to go and pick up a package for him, which I did without knowing the content of the parcel.
“I went to the place and I met a man who gave me a bag filled with money and according to the man, he said it is N2million. Mr. Donald took the bag from me and I did not know it was from the man that died.
“So, after weeks I heard that two of my friends were arrested only for me to visit my mum a day after on the Saturday I was arrested alongside my mother.”
The CP, however, used the opportunityto thank God Almighty for his divine enablement to the command in its quest to rid the state of undesirable element and reduce crime to the barest minimum, and assured the citizens of the state that the momentum in the fight against crime and other vices will be sustained with gusto to ensure peace and tranquillity continue to reign in the state.

By: Amadi Akujobi