Law enforcement apprehends quartet of suspects linked to organised theft ring in connection with N4.6m scam in Rivers State

The Rivers State Police Command has announced the arrest of a four-man syndicate accused of perpetrating a N4.6 million fraud, according to a statement issued by the command's spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

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This development came after the police received a report about a house help's involvement in a criminal act, which prompted an investigation that led to the apprehension of the suspects.

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Blessing Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, revealed that the house help, Praise Sampson, was deceived by two men into boarding a taxi, after which she was forced to produce her employer's Automated Teller Machine cards, allowing the suspects to withdraw over N4 million.

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The incident was reported on April 26, 2026, at around 1930 hours, by one Rosemary Vincent, a resident of Port Harcourt, who claimed that her house help, Praise Sampson, was involved in a case of fraud.

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Preliminary investigations showed that Praise Sampson was tricked into boarding a taxi by two male suspects, who then compelled her to hand over her employer's ATM cards, enabling them to fraudulently withdraw a total of ₦4,607,199 from the employer's bank account.

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Following the report, operatives from the Command's Divisional Police Station Choba, acting on the directive of Commissioner of Police Olugbenga Adepoju, carried out a coordinated operation that resulted in the arrest of the suspects.

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The arrested suspects were identified as Praise Sampson, a 20-year-old female from Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Michael Chijioke, a 36-year-old male from Abia State, Ndubuisi Jonah, a male from Abia State, Ehirim Ugonna, a 38-year-old male from Imo State, and Okeke Chizoba Daniel, a 40-year-old male from Imo State.

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These suspects have been linked to a series of criminal activities and are alleged to have been terrorizing residents within the Port Harcourt metropolis, according to the police statement.

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Commissioner of Police Olugbenga Adepoju has urged the public to remain vigilant, avoid careless interactions with strangers, and never share sensitive banking details such as ATM cards or PINs.

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CP Adepoju also advised the public to avoid boarding suspicious vehicles and to report any unusual activities to the police for prompt action, as the command assures residents of its continued commitment to their safety and security.

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In a separate development, on Friday, the Ogun State Police Command, led by CP Olugbenga Adepoju Adewole, arrested three suspected armed robbers and recovered three stolen vehicles, along with a fabricated pistol.

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The suspects were apprehended following coordinated investigations into reported cases of vehicle theft across Ogun State and neighbouring states, which led to their arrest and the recovery of the stolen items.