By Chigozie Daniel
Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have recorded a significant breakthrough in the war against kidnapping, arresting a suspected gang member and recovering high-grade weapons after foiling an attempted abduction in Port Harcourt.
The operation, described as swift and intelligence-driven, underscores renewed security momentum under the Inspector-General of Police, as law enforcement tightens its grip on violent criminal networks.
CSP Grace Iringe-Koko disclosed that the breakthrough followed a distress call in the early hours of March 20 from a resident, Mr. Fadi Nasser, who reported that armed men stormed his residence along Orogbum Crescent, Woji Road, in the Government Reserved Area of the state capital.
The attackers were said to have opened fire in a bid to abduct the victim, triggering panic in the neighbourhood. In a dramatic twist, the target escaped unhurt, a development that proved pivotal in setting off an immediate police response.
Investigators later recovered a mobile phone believed to belong to one of the suspects at the scene, a critical piece of evidence that shifted the trajectory of the operation.
Acting on the digital trail, operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics unit in Aluu deployed technical intelligence, leading to the arrest of one Joseph Abibo, identified as a member of the kidnapping gang.
Under interrogation, the suspect reportedly provided vital information that guided operatives to the group’s hideout, setting the stage for a high-risk confrontation.
On arrival, police operatives came under intense gunfire from other gang members, forcing a fierce exchange in a tense gun duel that lasted several minutes.
The superior response of the police overwhelmed the suspects, who fled in disarray. Security sources confirmed that at least six members of the gang escaped into a nearby river with gunshot wounds, as the net closed in on them.
A subsequent sweep of the hideout yielded two AK-47 rifles, four magazines, and 108 rounds of live ammunition, reinforcing suspicions of the gang’s involvement in a string of violent crimes.
Iringe-Koko say a coordinated manhunt is now in full swing to apprehend the fleeing suspects, while residents have been urged to remain vigilant and volunteer credible information as the command intensifies efforts to restore lasting security in the state.