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The Rivers State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a six-man kidnapping gang accused of abducting a resident and holding him captive for three days in Port Harcourt.
The suspects were arrested following an intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU-AKU, at a waterfront hideout in the Borikiri area of the state capital.
The command’s spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday.
According to the statement, the victim, identified as Hassan, was abducted on September 6, 2026, around the vicinity of Fidelity Bank, Garrison, Port Harcourt.
He was subsequently taken to Igbugulu Waterside, Borikiri, where he was held for three days before his relatives reportedly paid N10.3 million in ransom for his release.
The statement said the police received information about the abduction on September 7 and immediately commenced an operation to locate the kidnappers.
It read, “The Rivers State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a six-man kidnapping syndicate involved in the abduction of one Mr Hassan, who is a resident of Rivers State.
“On 7th September 2026, at about 1000hrs, the Command received credible information regarding the kidnapping of the victim, who was abducted on 6th September 2026 in the vicinity of Fidelity Bank, Garrison, Port Harcourt.
“The victim was reportedly taken to Igbugulu Waterside, Borikiri, Port Harcourt, where he was held captive for three days before he was released following the payment of ₦10.3 million ransom by his relatives.
“Upon receipt of the information, operatives of the Command Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU-AKU) immediately swung into action and commenced intelligence-led operations, which resulted in the arrest of two suspected members of the syndicate.”p
The police identified the suspects as 24-year-old Victor Ifeanyi, also known as “Big Boby”, from Aguleri Community, Otuocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, and 36-year-old Aniekan Okon Michael, also known as “Duff Man”, from Ikot Ukpor, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Agabe said preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects had confessed to alleged involvement in the kidnapping.
She added that the suspects disclosed that the gang had six members and used a white mini-bus, popularly known as a Keke bus, during the operation.
“The Command has intensified efforts to apprehend the remaining members of the syndicate and bring them to justice,” the spokesperson added.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, urged residents to provide the police with credible information that could assist in identifying and arresting suspected criminals.
Adepoju assured members of the public that information supplied to the police would be treated confidentially.
He also said the command would continue to use intelligence-led operations to dismantle kidnapping syndicates and other criminal networks in the state, while urging residents to remain calm and support security agencies.
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