The Rivers State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a notorious one-chance robbery syndicate following a failed operation that triggered a dramatic rescue of a female victim in Port Harcourt.
The suspects were apprehended after allegedly attempting to rob a woman who unknowingly boarded a minibus operated by the gang in the Rumuosi area of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
According to eyewitnesses, the victim raised an alarm and struggled to escape after realising she was trapped inside the vehicle with the suspected robbers.
Her cries for help attracted residents, who chased the moving bus. The suspects’ attempt to flee ended when the driver reportedly got stuck after taking the wrong route.
Angry residents descended on the suspects before officers of the Rivers State Police Command arrived at the scene, rescued them from the mob and took them into custody.
Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Grace Iringe-Koko Agabe, described the arrest as another major success in the command’s ongoing crackdown on one-chance operators across the state.
The police identified the suspects as Uche Samuel (45) from Omunato, Imo State, and Nkechi Amadi (42) from Nekede, Imo State.
According to the police, both suspects confessed to their involvement during interrogation, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the criminal syndicate still at large.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, reiterated the command’s determination to eliminate one-chance robbery and other violent crimes in Rivers State.
He warned that criminals would find no safe haven in the state, adding that intelligence-led operations would continue until those involved in criminal activities are brought to justice.
The police also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to help security agencies prevent crime and improve public safety.
