Police arrest three suspects for ‘robbing, abducting travellers’ in Rivers

The Rivers police command says three suspected kidnappers have been arrested for allegedly abducting travellers on the Port Harcourt-Owerri road.

Earlier today, the command confirmed the arrest of four suspects over the disappearance of Yahaya Faruq, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member.

Faruq reportedly went missing on October 14 after reporting for work at LDM — a Chinese mining company.

The missing corps member is serving in Ikuru town under the Andoni LGA of the state.

NAN reports that Mustapha Bala, commissioner of police in Rivers, accused the three suspects of abducting a corps member and masterminding armed robberies in the state.

“The suspects: Blessing Akpelu alias NTA, 28; Wisdom Amadi, 28; and Precious Ebee, 30, all natives of Egbeda in Emohua LGA, Rivers, are now in police custody,” the police commissioner said during a press conference on Wednesday.

“They operate by setting up illegal roadblocks to trap unsuspecting travellers on the Port Harcourt-Owerri road, robbing them and holding them to ransom.

“The suspects were under police surveillance following an alarming rise in kidnappings, including the abduction of the NYSC member and two others along the Elele/Omerelu axis of the expressway.

Bala said that Akpelu and Ebee were apprehended on October 17, while Amadi, the gang leader, was arrested on October 19.

The police commissioner said the suspects have confessed to the crime and are assisting operatives in tracking down fleeing gang members.

“Officers are working to recover their operational weapons and uncover the full extent of their criminal network,” he added.

Bala also announced the arrest of a notorious criminal linked to several high-profile armed robberies, adding that the C4i strike force octopus team recovered assorted arms and ammunition during the operation.

He said police operatives launched coordinated raids on criminal hideouts at Elechi Beach and Nanka waterfront in the Mile 1 area of Port Harcourt, the state capital.

“Other items recovered from the Elechi Beach operation include an English-made revolver pistol with 35 rounds of 8.1mm live ammunition and one Excam Hialeah pistol with two rounds of 9mm live ammunition,” he said.

“In Nanka, personnel recovered a blue Toyota Corolla with registration number BDG 44 HE, belonging to one Iviuboosub Okuru, who had been robbed at gunpoint along the Education Bus Stop.”

The police commissioner assured residents of the command’s dedication to safeguarding lives and properties within the state.