The Rivers state police command has called on all residents to be open to security operatives in the fight against crime and criminality.
This was the thrust of the press briefing, held in the police headquarters in Port Harcourt Rivers State south south Nigeria.
Briefing news men, the state commissioner of police CP Nwonyi Polycarp Emeka, stated that the police force has recorded milestone and won yet another triumph, which he described as follows:
As a follow-up to the kidnapping and release of one victim named withheld on 29/08/2023 at about 1830 hrs, the Operatives of the Command arrested one Henry Thomas ‘m’, aged 40yrs, a native of Akinima in Ahoada-West Local Government Area of Rivers State, he noted that during interrogation, he confessed to the crime and later led operatives to Akinima Community on 30/08/2023 at about 0400hrs where their operational vehicle, a Toyota Sienna car with Reg. No. MUS 606 AR, two pump action guns with breaches No. 23-0411 and 2h21yt-28, respectively, 20 rounds of LAR ammunition, 25 rounds of AK47 ammunition, and six cartridges were recovered from him.
Effort is ongoing to arrest other members of the dreaded syndicate and recover more of their operational weapons.
In a follow-up to the death of a cultists/kidnappers, police operatives of the command on 30/08/2023 arrested one Godspower Salete ‘m’ at Rumodogo at about 1424hrs and one Temple Emmanuel Woke ‘M’ of Rumuodogo-1 in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State were also arrested in connection to the case.
The two suspects led a team of Policemen to Rumuodogo Forest for the recovery of their arms. During the process, their gang members engaged the police in a gun battle, and in the process, the two suspects were fatally wounded while others escaped with bullet wounds.
One AK49 rifle with breach no. Ek3911 and six magazines with twenty rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were recovered.
The corpses have been deposited at De-light Mortuary, Ogbakiri, for autopsy, while intensive efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and recover more of their operational weapons.
Cp Emeka also mentioned that on August 30, 2023, at about 1902 hrs, detectives of the command received a distress call from the control room that a Yahama motorcycle with Reg. No. ABU 093 VT belonging to one Tracy Festus ‘F’ of Zuwist Empire Genesis Emporium Choba had been snatched from the rider. One Alex Shinku ‘m’ of Rumuokparali Ozuoba, after spraying a powdered substance on the rider’s face, immediately swung into action and tracked the said motorcycle to Abuja waterfront, recovered the snatched Yahama motorcycle, and also arrested one Godfirst Achi ‘m’, aged 26 yrs of the same address at about 2130 hrs on 30/08/2023 in connection with the crime.
The suspect and exhibit are in police custody for further investigation.
