The victim, Mrs. Ikechukwu, was abducted on Saturday, July 11, 2026, while attending to customers at her shop, police said.
According to the command, her husband, Mr. Ikechukwu, reported the incident after armed men forced his wife into a white tinted mini bus and sped off.
Following the report, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit launched an intelligence-driven operation that led to the arrest of four suspects and the rescue of the victim.
The suspects were identified as Owhor Chinedu, 42, from ONELGA; Isioto Waribok, 30, from Andoni Local Government Area; Maduabuchi Emeka, 34, from ONELGA; and Joe Karachi, 28, also from ONELGA in Rivers State. Police also recovered the white mini bus allegedly used in the abduction.
The command said preliminary investigations showed the suspects had confessed to their individual roles in the crime. It added that efforts were ongoing to arrest two other members of the gang who remain at large and recover the firearms allegedly used during the operation.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state.
He said, “The Rivers State Police Command remains resolute in its determination to rid the state of kidnappers and other violent criminals. We urge members of the public to continue partnering with the police by providing prompt, credible and actionable information. Every useful piece of information will be treated with utmost confidentiality.”
Adepoju also assured residents that the command would continue to deploy lawful strategies to protect lives and property and ensure criminals are brought to justice.
