Rivers State Police Dismantle Kidnapping Syndicate Following Three Million Naira Ransom Payment and Armed Standoff

Police in Rivers State capture four suspects in an anti-kidnapping raid, recovering firearms after a series of 3 million Naira ransom payments were reported.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 5:31 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Peoples Gazette

Tactical Intervention Prevents Impending Abduction Plot

The Rivers State Police Command executed a precise early morning raid on Monday, intercepting a suspected criminal cell just as they were allegedly mobilizing for a new kidnapping venture. According to CSP Grace Iringe-Koko, the command’s spokesperson, operatives from the Anti-Cultism Unit’s Emuohia Annex tracked the four suspects to the Ipo, Ozaha Farm Road at approximately 5:20 a.m. This tactical success is being framed by local authorities as a proactive disruption of a violent syndicate that has been preying on residents of Port Harcourt and its surrounding agrarian communities.

Violent Criminal Record Linked to Multiple Captures

During the preliminary investigative phase, the apprehended suspects reportedly provided detailed confessions regarding a string of abductions that have terrorized the region since early January. According to police records, the group admitted to the February 25 kidnapping of MFavour Chika, a local woman who was seized while traveling to her farm in the Igwuruta Community. The investigation revealed that the victim was held for five days and only secured her freedom after her family complied with a substantial ransom demand of 3 million Naira, highlighting the financial motivations driving the syndicate’s operations.

Recovery of Ballistic Evidence and Illegal Weaponry

The physical evidence seized during the Monday morning operation underscores the lethal nature of the criminal group’s activities. Police recovered a locally manufactured pistol, a modified single-barrel shotgun, and 20 live cartridges from the suspects' possession. These tools of intimidation were reportedly used in a series of roadside ambushes, including the February 12 seizure of Okoro Osita and an associate along the high traffic Airport Road. By removing these weapons from circulation, the command aims to diminish the tactical capabilities of remaining gang members who are still being pursued by regional security forces.