Metro

Three Kidnappers Arrested On Port Harcourt-Owerri Highway

Published

2 years ago

October 23, 2024

Editor

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have apprehended three notorious kidnappers who have been terrorising travellers and motorists along the Port Harcourt-Owerri highway.

The suspects are said to be behind a series of armed robberies and abductions in the area, including the recent kidnapping of a National Youth Service Corps member.

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Mohammed, disclosed this on Wednesday while parading the suspects and others before journalists in Port Harcourt.

Mohammed explained that the criminals were known for setting up illegal roadblocks at strategic points on the highway, where they ambushed motorists at gunpoint, abducted them, and demanded ransoms from their families.

“The Rivers State Police Command has apprehended three notorious kidnap suspects following a series of highway robberies and kidnappings along the Port Harcourt-Owerri Expressway.

“This arrest is part of an intensified crackdown on criminal activities along the route, which has been a hotspot for violent attacks on motorists,” the Commissioner said

The suspects were identified as 20-year-old Blessing Akpelu, also known as NTA; Precious Ebee, 30; and Wisdom Amadi, 28. All three are natives of Egbeda in the Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to Mohammed, the suspects have been under surveillance for some time due to an alarming spike in kidnappings, including the abduction of an NYSC member and two others along the Elele/Omerelu axis of the expressway.

“The first two suspects were arrested on October 17, 2024, by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, while the third suspect, Wisdom Amadi, believed to be the gang leader, was apprehended at Egbeda on October 19, 2024,” Mohammed revealed.

The Commissioner added that the suspects confessed to the kidnappings and other related crimes. Their arrests were made possible through intelligence gathered by the police, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend their accomplices, retrieve their weapons, and dismantle their criminal network.

Mohammed assured the public that the command remains committed to ensuring the safety of all road users along the Port Harcourt-Owerri Expressway, urging citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station.

In a separate development, the police also arrested a suspected armed robber involved in an attack on a female corps member, during which her iPhone was stolen.

“In the same operation, we arrested one Baridam Berebom from Mogho in Gokana Local Government Area. He was found with an SMG rifle, which he and his gang used to rob a female NYSC member of her iPhone 12,” the Commissioner said.

He explained that the police responded swiftly to a distress call and, following a hot pursuit, arrested Berebom, while other members of his gang managed to escape. The stolen phone and the rifle used in the robbery were recovered.

Mohammed reassured the public that the police are actively pursuing the remaining members of the gang, urging citizens to continue providing timely and credible information.

Metro

Ex-convict Arrested In Edo For Armed Robbery, Possession Of Firearm

Published

5 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

The Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) has arrested a 45-year-old ex-convict, Owen Osas, for alleged unlawful possession of firearms and suspected involvement in a robbery incident.

Osas was reportedly arrested with a cut-to-size single-barrel gun during a covert operation along Fishpond Road in Eyean, Uhunmwonde Local Government Area.

The arrest reportedly comes barely a year after he was released from prison, where he had served time for illegal possession of firearms and other criminal offences.

Osas, who confessed to the latest crime, also admitted to being a member of the Eiye Confraternity.

READ ALSO:Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo
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Consequently, a victim of an alleged robbery incident, Reginia Izy, identified Osas as the person who robbed her a day before his arrest.
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The victim narrated that the suspect had approached her residence around 8 p.m., pretending to be familiar before carrying out the attack.
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‎The Deputy Commander Operations of ESSC, Richard Balogun, said the arrest was part of intensified efforts to rid Edo State of criminal elements.

READ ALSO:Edo South Senatorial Seat: Nothing Wrong Seeking Wike’s Support – Ogbeide-Ihama
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‎Balogun explained that operatives conduct both overt patrols and covert operations to track and apprehend suspects.
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He said, ‎“Our men are always on patrol. Some operate in plain clothes as part of covert strategies, while others are stationed at strategic locations.

“Osas, who is a former convict, was arrested with firearms and he also confessed to be a member of the Eiye Confraternity.”
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Metro

Gunmen Kidnap Businessman In Ibadan

Published

2 days ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 60-year-old man in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The victim was kidnapped on Saturday while on his way to his residence.

The incident occurred at Jinarere, Alakia in Ibadan.

Public Relations Officer of the State Police command, Olayinka Ayanlade, when contacted, confirmed the incident.

Ayanlade in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, explained that efforts are ongoing to rescue the victim.

Ayanlade said, “Preliminary information reveals that the victim, a 60-year-old male and building materials trader, was accosted while returning home along the Jinarere axis of Alakia Road by four masked armed men, who forcefully whisked him away in an unregistered ash-coloured Toyota Corolla vehicle”.

Metro

Tragedy As Suspected Kidnappers Kill Young Entrepreneur In Edo

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

A 30-year-old entrepreneur and CEO of Principle Takeout, Justice Abu Oshioke, has been killed by suspected kidnappers in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

He was reportedly attacked by the suspected kidnappers on Saturday while on his way to pick up an order made for his child’s dedication on Sunday morning.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers attempted to force him into a nearby bush in a kidnapping attempt. However, he reportedly resisted and tried to escape.

In the course of the struggle, the assailants opened fire, shooting him multiple times.

Concerned residents quickly rushed him to a nearby medical facility, but he was confirmed dead on arrival.

The deceased was said to have recently gotten married and welcomed a baby boy.

The tragic event has turned a joyous occasion into a moment of grief for the family.

The shocking development has left the Ekpoma community in deep sorrow, with many residents expressing outrage over the growing insecurity in the area.

Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem confirmed the incident and said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika has ordered a “full-scale investigation and intensified manhunt for those responsible.”

According to her, the Police, in collaboration with the military, local vigilantes, and hunters, are actively pursuing the perpetrators through coordinated operations.