Rivers Police Arrest 18 Suspects, Recover 47 Firearms, 12 Stolen Vehicles
The Nigeria Police Force, Rivers State Command has arrested 18 suspects in connection with various crimes, including murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, illegal possession of firearms, one-chance robbery and vehicle theft.
The State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this on Thursday August 13, 2026 during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters in Port Harcourt, saying the arrests were recorded between June and August 2026 as part of intensified intelligence-led operations across the state.
Adepoju said operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit arrested three suspected members of the gang allegedly responsible for the June 29 attack on police officers in Aluu, which resulted in the death of two officers, injuries to others and the theft of two AK-47 rifles.
The suspects were identified as Maduabuchi Emeka, 34; the alleged gang leader, Doctor Chinedu Owhor, 42; and Kamachi Joe, 28, who was described as the gang’s armourer.
According to the CP, the suspects confessed to participating in the attack and subsequently led investigators to their hideout in Omagwa, where the two stolen AK-47 rifles were recovered. He said the Command was making efforts to apprehend another suspect who remains at large.
On kidnapping, Adepoju disclosed that five suspected members of a syndicate operating in Oyigbo Local Government Area were arrested. They include Ezekiel Emmanuel, 44; Chukwuma Mbanefo, 51; Nicholas Diala, 65; and two others.
He said the suspects admitted to carrying out kidnapping operations in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.
The CP added that two other suspects allegedly connected to the syndicate, Anele Ogobogu, 35, identified as the group’s armourer, and Kenneth Eke, 38, were arrested on July 27.
According to him, the police recovered an AK-47 rifle and a sub-machine gun from the suspects, while efforts were ongoing to arrest other members of the syndicate.
In a separate operation, police arrested Boma Dienye Allison, 35, after his wife reported that he had threatened her with a firearm.
A search of Allison’s residence resulted in the recovery of two Beretta pistols, 97 rounds of live ammunition and one live cartridge. The investigation also led to the arrest of two other suspects, Dagogo Abusi, 30, and Richard Tolofari, 33.
The Commissioner further disclosed that two suspected armed robbers and cultists, Daddy Aleelo, 40, and Destiny Tor-ue, 22, were arrested.
Items recovered from the suspects included a locally made cut-to-size pistol, a double-barrel pump-action gun and five live cartridges. The suspects were also said to have confessed to involvement in several criminal activities.
The Command also apprehended two suspected members of a one-chance robbery syndicate, Uche Samuel, 45, and Nkechi Amadi, 42. Both suspects allegedly confessed to their involvement in the crime.
On vehicle theft, Adepoju said police operatives, acting on intelligence, intercepted Andrew Atausi, 49, along Ada George Road in Port Harcourt on August 10.
He said Atausi was found dressed in military camouflage and driving a Toyota Hilux painted in Army colours. Investigations, however, allegedly established that he was not a member of the Armed Forces and was linked to a series of vehicle thefts.
According to the CP, police recovered three suspected stolen Toyota Hilux vehicles without registration numbers, a Toyota Corona Premio with registration number BNY 380 ES, an axe and military accoutrements.
He added that investigators discovered that the engine and chassis numbers of the recovered vehicles had been tampered with.
Giving an overview of the operations, Adepoju said the Command arrested 18 suspects and recovered 47 firearms of various calibres, 12 stolen vehicles, 102 rounds of live ammunition, five live cartridges, 11 cutlasses and an axe.
The Commissioner reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to intelligence-driven, proactive and community-oriented policing, stressing that the police would continue to collaborate with the military, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other stakeholders in the fight against crime.
Adepoju urged residents to provide credible information to security agencies and advised parents to closely monitor their children and discourage them from engaging in cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery, internet fraud and other criminal activities.
“There is no future in crime. Rivers State will not be a safe haven for criminals. We will find you, dismantle your networks, recover your weapons and ensure you face justice,” Adepoju stated.
