The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a suspected member of a kidnapping gang and rescued a woman who was abducted in the state.
The command said the breakthrough followed an intelligence-led operation launched after the woman, identified as Loveth, was reportedly kidnapped on September 2, 2026.
According to the police, Loveth was sitting in front of her shop when armed men approached her, fired shots into the air and forcibly took her away in a vehicle.
Following the incident, operatives of the Eleme Police Division commenced efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
The operation eventually led to an encounter between the police and the suspected kidnappers. During the confrontation, the operatives rescued the victim and arrested one of the suspected gang members.
The suspect was identified as 35-year-old Victor Ini, a native of Akwa Ibom State.
The police said several items were recovered during the operation, including a vehicle, firearms, ammunition, mobile phone and identity documents. Other items recovered were also taken into police custody as investigations continued.
The command said efforts had been intensified to identify and apprehend other members of the suspected kidnapping syndicate who remain at large.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, reaffirmed the command’s determination to protect residents and bring those involved in kidnapping and other violent crimes to justice.
Adepoju warned criminal elements operating in the state that the police would continue to deploy lawful measures to track them down and ensure that they face prosecution.
He also urged residents to remain vigilant, particularly as the ember months approach, and to provide credible and timely information that could assist security agencies in preventing and investigating criminal activities.
The police said intelligence gathering and surveillance operations would continue across the state as efforts to dismantle kidnapping networks and improve security are sustained.
