Police arrest suspected tricycle robbery syndicate in Rivers

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The Rivers State Police Command has arrested suspected armed robbers involved in a series of tricycle thefts across Elelenwo, Igwuruta, Tank, and Woji axis of Port Harcourt.

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In a statement on Tuesday signed by Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, the command said the arrests followed a report made on March 19, 2026, at about 2300 hours by one Sadiq Gara, a 32-year-old male tricycle operator.

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Gara reported at Octopus Base that on March 18, 2026, at about 0900 hours, while operating in Elelenwo, Port Harcourt, he picked up three passengers who later asked him to stop, and “in the process, one of them brought out a gun and robbed him of his tricycle.”

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The statement said operatives of the Command immediately swung into action following the report and successfully recovered the stolen tricycle.

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“Further intelligence-led operations resulted in the arrest of two suspects at their criminal hideout located at Army Range, Igwuruta,” the statement said.

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The suspects were identified as Abdullahi Mohammed, 23, and Yusuf Umaru, 25.

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It added that one Mohammed Usman, 28, a suspected receiver of stolen items, was also arrested.

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“The suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation,” the statement said.

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Items recovered from the suspects include “one locally made pistol, two live cartridges, and two stolen tricycles.”

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According to the statement, during the course of investigation, another victim, Rosemary James, identified one of the suspects as a member of the gang that had earlier robbed her of her tricycle this year.

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“Preliminary investigations further revealed that the suspects are part of a syndicate responsible for robbing tricycle operators across Elelenwo, Igwuruta, Tank, and Woji axis,” it said.

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The statement added that the suspects admitted delivering over twenty stolen tricycles to a receiver, who subsequently transported them to Kano, Bauchi, and Adamawa States.

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It said the investigation is ongoing, with efforts intensified to apprehend other members of the gang and recover additional stolen tricycles.

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The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, advised members of the public, particularly commercial tricycle operators, “to remain vigilant, avoid picking up suspicious passengers, especially at odd hours, and promptly report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station.”

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The Command also reassured residents of its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of lives and property across the state.

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