The Rivers State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a six-man kidnapping syndicate allegedly involved in the abduction of a Rivers State resident who spent three days in captivity before his relatives paid a N10.3m ransom for his release in Port Harcourt.

The suspects were arrested by operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU-AKU, following an intelligence-led operation at a waterfront hideout in the Borikiri area of Port Harcourt.

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The command’s spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, disclosed the arrests in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday, October 5, 2026.

According to the police, the victim, identified simply as Hassan, was abducted on September 6, 2026, around the vicinity of Fidelity Bank in the Garrison area of Port Harcourt.

Hassan was reportedly taken to Igbugulu Waterside in Borikiri, where the kidnappers allegedly held him for three days before releasing him after his relatives paid N10.3m in ransom.

The police said information about the abduction reached the command on September 7, prompting an immediate investigation and intelligence-gathering operation aimed at locating the perpetrators.

In the statement, Agabe said the operation eventually led investigators to two suspected members of the alleged kidnapping syndicate.

“Upon receipt of the information, operatives of the Command Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU-AKU) immediately swung into action and commenced intelligence-led operations, which resulted in the arrest of two suspected members of the syndicate,” she said.

The suspects were identified as 24-year-old Victor Ifeanyi, also known as “Big Boby”, from Aguleri Community in Otuocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, and 36-year-old Aniekan Okon Michael, also known as “Duff Man”, from Ikot Ukpor in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The command said preliminary investigations indicated that both suspects had confessed to alleged involvement in the kidnapping.

Police also said the suspects provided information suggesting that the syndicate consisted of six members.

According to the command, the gang allegedly used a white mini-bus, popularly known as a Keke bus, during the operation.

The disclosure has given investigators additional leads as they continue efforts to identify and arrest the other members of the alleged syndicate.

“The Command has intensified efforts to apprehend the remaining members of the syndicate and bring them to justice,” Agabe said.

The arrests represent a significant development in the investigation, although the police have yet to disclose whether the other alleged gang members have been identified or whether any additional arrests are imminent.

The Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Olugbenga Adepoju, appealed to residents to assist the command by providing credible information that could help identify suspected criminals and prevent further attacks.

Adepoju assured residents that information supplied to the police would be treated confidentially.

He also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to using intelligence-led operations to disrupt kidnapping syndicates and other criminal networks operating across the state.

The police commissioner urged residents to remain calm and continue supporting security agencies as investigations into the case progress.

The latest arrests come against the backdrop of continuing concerns over kidnapping and other violent crimes in parts of Rivers State, particularly in densely populated communities and waterfront areas where criminal groups can exploit difficult terrain.

For the victim and his family, however, the immediate ordeal ended with Hassan’s release after three days in captivity. The subsequent arrests have now shifted attention to the wider investigation and the police effort to dismantle the alleged six-man network.

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With two suspects in custody, the Rivers State Police Command is now seeking the remaining members of the alleged syndicate and further information that could clarify their roles in Hassan’s abduction and the demand for the N10.3m ransom.