The Rivers State Police Command intensifies onslaught against criminal elements in the state, even as the deadly “one chance” robbers go berserk
By Chinedu Oguh, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Police Command has recorded a significant breakthrough in its ongoing efforts to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.
This development follows the earlier kidnapping of one Miss Favour Chika of Igwuruta Community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. The victim was abducted on 25th February, 2026 at about 9:00am while on her way to her farm, and was later released on 2nd March, 2026 after a ransom of N3,000,000 was reportedly paid by her family.
Acting on credible intelligence and sustained operational efforts Police operatives attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit Emuoha Annex, successfully tracked and arrested four suspects on the early hours of the day at about 5:20am along Ipo/ Ozaha Farm Road, where they were reportedly planning another kidnapping operation.
The arrested suspects are: Usman Dan-Mama (male 20 years) a native of Mubi, Adamawa State. Abdullahi Kabir (Male 20 years) a native of Damaturu, Yobe State. Idris Ismaila (male 27 years) a native of Taraba State. Mohammed Dalandi (Male 22 years) a native of Yobe State.
Upon their arrest, a search conducted on the suspects led to the recovery of the following items: one locally made pistol, one cut-to-size single barrel gun twenty live cartridge.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to carrying out several kidnapping operations with the Igwuruta-Ali, Omagwa, Ozaha, Ipo, and Etche axis of Rivers State.
The suspects further admitted to being responsible for the abduction of one Engineer Okoro Osita and his friend which occurred on 12th February, 2026 along Airport Road, Port Harcourt. The victims were later released after the payment of a ransom of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000) by their families.
They also confessed to the kidnapping of one Sympathy Agu of Umuka-Mba, Etche and one Chioma Njoku of Obiri, Etche. That incident occurred on 31st January, 2026 along Afara/ Egwi Road in Etche Local Government Area, where the victims were also released after their families paid a ransom of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000). Efforts are currently ongoing to arrest other members of the criminal syndicate who are still at large.
According to the police public relations officer, Rivers State police command, CSP Grace Iringe-Koko, the police commissioner, CP Olugbenga Adewole Adepojun has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and urges member of the public to continue providing timely and credible in formation that will assist in combating crime across the state.
In the same vein, a 43-year-old man, Ifeanyi Chukwu Wobodo has been arrested by the detectives from the Rivers State Police Command for allegedly belonging to a ”one chance” group terrorizing the state metropolis. It was learnt that the two women that work with the suspect, escaped immediately their leader was arrested.
The suspect and the two women who will always pose as passengers have allegedly defrauded a lot of innocent residents of Rivers State before they finally met their waterloo
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Rivers State Command CSP Grace Iringe-Koko who confirmed the arrest of the suspect in a video said the suspect was arrested by the officer of this Elekahia Police Division.
According to the PPRO, Wobodo confessed that he and his female gang members always meet in Aba after he travels from Enugu State to carry out their crime in Port Harcourt. The suspect admitted that the group robs unsuspecting passengers after they board their taxi and collect their belongings.
Wobodo who narrated how he got into the one chance job, said that it was his friend who introduced him to the deal, saying he was introduced to the deal by a friend after he lost his hob. It was the same person who introduced him to the job was introduce the two ladies to him to work with him.
He said: “I came to Port Harcourt on Saturday, February 22nd with the ladies to hustle, it was the case of Success, lady we robbed that brought me to the police station when we collected her phone from her bag, she never suspected it, until she got to where she dropped that she realized her phone was no longer with her, she screamed, we speed off but cut-up at traffic light. It was a friend of mine named Offor who introduced to Port Harcourt to come and hustle and the hustle is one chance business. We are three doing the one chance business, I and two ladies. The two ladies are Rose and Gift, they are from Abia State, I am from Enugu State” said Wobodo.
The suspect said the work of the ladies is to sit in the vehicle as passengers to rob innocent passengers who board the vehicle.
He went on to say that the money they make from the deal varies, sometimes they got home with N200,000 and sometimes N500,000 depending on what they steal from victims that day.
The PPRO Iringe Koko said that modi operandi of the suspects is that they will drive to Port Harcourt early in the morning to rob innocent passengers and return to Enugu same day after perpetrating their crime.
She said after picking up a passenger, the two ladies will then tell the passenger to shift that they are not comfortable. “It is the process of telling the passengers to sit right that such person’s items will be stolen from him or her without noticing.
And in the process of the passenger alighting from the vehicle, they would speed off, but luck ran out of them on that fateful day that they were arrested. “They were arrested after robbing a lady of her phone. Every day is for the thieves, one day is for the owner, now one of them have been caught, as two women who are accomplice escaped, police is going to go after them”.
“I want to use this medium to advise the members of the public to always board vehicles from registered bus stop in Rivers State. And if you are not boarding from the bus stop, always look at the faces of those in the vehicle before you board such vehicle to avoid incidents like this”.
“After you enter a vehicle and someone tells you to shift that the space in the vehicle is not enough please just alight from such vehicle, always be conscious” said Iringe Koko. She however urged the public to always call the police emergency numbers when they are in such situations because police is ready to serve the public always.
Meanwhile, a woman identified as Onyinyechi Uchanma has reportedly been killed by suspected “one chance” criminals in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Tentacle gathered, that the fair complexioned, mother of two was attacked and murdered on Monday night, March 2, 2026.
A friend and former colleague of the deceased Cynthia Abah, who confirmed the said news said she spoke with Oyinyechi two days before she was murdered in cold blood.
“On Friday, we chatted about our dreams and shared ideas on what it takes to be a strong woman”, she wrote in a Facebook post: “You’re single-handedly raising two children and I was impressed. You submitted your CV to our Trans-Amadi office and I promised to speak with HR and the regional manager about your potential. You’re a performer, a strong woman and a goal-getter just like me, we were planning for you to join me in Citizens’ Pension, just the way we follow ourselves from Sterling Bank to UBA Bank and we would’ve built our dreams together”.
“I was shocked when Jessica called me and told me about the one chance incident that you enter their vehicle and the blood sucking idiots cut your life short in Port Harcourt”. “I’m devastated by your passing. What will happen to the dreams we were discussing on Friday? What about your two lovely children, who you’ve struggled to train and support? You are planning to achieve great things and become a strong regional manager” I’ll forever miss you, my person with a heart of gold. Rest in peace, my beautiful friend”. Wrote Cynthia Abah.
