Police arrest four suspected kidnappers after N9m ransom operations in Rivers

By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT — The Rivers State Police Command has arrested four suspected kidnappers linked to a series of abductions across the state, recovering firearms and thwarting another planned operation.

The suspects reportedly carried out three high-profile kidnappings, each yielding a ransom of ₦3 million, bringing their total takings to ₦9 million.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Chief Superintendent Grace Iringe-Koko, said the arrests followed intelligence from the kidnapping of Miss Chika Favour in Igwuruta Community, Ikwerre Local Government Area. Chika was abducted on February 25 while heading to her farm and released on March 2 after her family paid ₦3 million.

“Acting on credible intelligence, police operatives attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit, Emohua Annex, tracked and arrested four suspects early Monday at about 5:20 a.m. along Ipo/Ozaha Farm Road, where they were planning another kidnapping operation,” Iringe-Koko said.

The arrested suspects are:

Usman Dan-Mama, 20, from Mubi, Adamawa State

Abdullahi Kabir, 27, from Damaturu, Yobe State

Idris Ismaila, 20, from Taraba State

Mohammed Dalandi, 22, from Yobe State

Recovered from the suspects were one locally made pistol, one single-barrel cut-to-size gun, and 20 live cartridges.

During questioning, the suspects confessed to multiple kidnappings across Igwuruta-Ali, Omagwa, Ozaha, Ipo, and Etche. They admitted involvement in the abductions of Engr. Okoro Osita and a friend on February 12, and Miss Sympathy Agu and Miss Chioma Njoku on January 31, all released after ₦3 million ransoms were paid.

Iringe-Koko confirmed that police are pursuing other members of the syndicate still at large, reiterating the commitment of Commissioner of Police Olugbenga Adepoju to ensuring the safety and security of Rivers residents.