•As it Investigates murder of father, son by unknown gunmen
Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Police Command said it has arrested five members of a notorious ‘one chance’ syndicate operating in Port Harcourt and it’s environs.
The Command’s Spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
This is coming after the Command had announced the arrest of two street light thieves the previous day (Tuesday).
Iringe-Koko said the one chance suspects, four males and one female were arrested on the 28th of January, 2024 after one of their victims had made a distress call on the police.
She said, “the Rivers State Police Command has made another significant breakthrough, apprehending five suspects allegedly involved in a “One Chance” syndicate.
“On the 28th of January, 2025, at about 0900 hours, the Surveillance Patrol Team attached to the Hyper City Unit of the Rivers State Police Command, while on patrol along NLNG Road, Eastern Bypass, Port Harcourt, received a distress call from a victim (name withheld), a female resident of Federal Housing Estate, Trans-Amadi, Port Harcourt.
“She reported that her phone had been stolen by the occupants of a green Volkswagen Vento saloon car with registration number ANAMBRA FGG 40 AA.
“The team swiftly took action, intercepted the vehicle, and arrested the following suspects; Ifeanyi Ugo (male), aged 45 years, Paulina Ibe (female), aged 45 years, Nneka Precious Sunday (female), aged 30 years, Christopher Ibe (male), aged 31 years and Oyinyechi Ibe (female), aged 48 years.”
The PPRO said the suspects and their operational vehicle which was recovered are currently in police custody.
On the arrest of the street light thieves, the Police said the suspects were caught vandalizing and attempting to steal the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Street Solar Lights in Trans-Amadi area of Port Harcourt.
Iringe-Koko said the suspects were arrested following a credible tip-off received by the police on January 26, 2025, at around 3:00 a.m.
According to her, the suspects, Shaibu Yusuf, 30, from Bolari Town in Gombe Local Government Area of Gombe State, and Ibrahim Abubakar, 28, from Katsina Local Government Area of Katsina State, were caught in the act along Danjuma Drive, off Trans-Amadi road.
The Rivers PPRO disclosed that both suspects are residents of Okuru scrap dump, Abuloma Community, Port Harcourt, upon searching the suspects, the police recovered solar light poles, solar light panels, solar light panel bolts, solar light panel nuts, and a knife.
She disclosed that the suspects confessed to being part of a syndicate responsible for vandalizing and stealing street solar lights and manhole covers in the area, adding that they will be charged to court, and that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate.
In another development, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Grace Iringe-Koko said the Command is investigating the killing of a father and son at Ikwerre local government area of the state by unknown gunmen.
Iringe-Koko in a statement on Tuesday said, “The Rivers State Police Command is aware of a tragic incident which occurred on 31st, January, 2025, at about 2340hrs in Rivers State, where one Timothy, ‘m’ a 59-year-old Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Adokiye Amieseimeka International Stadium, Omagwa, Port Harcourt and his first son were brutally murdered by unknown gunmen.
“The Igwuruta Division of the Rivers State Police Command received a report from Omolara, Timothy’s daughter, stating that four unknown gunmen ambushed her father and son, shooting them severely on the head, resulting in their death.
“The police swiftly responded to the scene, recovering three expended AK-47 ammunition. The victims were rushed to the hospital, but unfortunately, they succumbed to their injuries and were confirmed dead by the Doctor on duty.”
The statement noted that the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Olugbenga Adepoju has directed the deployment of all necessary intelligence to apprehend the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice.
“The Rivers State Police Command has been proactive in addressing crime in the state, it is working tirelessly to ensure that justice is served in this recent case.”
