Rivers: Police Rescue Abducted Woman, Recover Weapons, Arrest Suspect

The Rivers State Police Command says its operatives successfully rescued a kidnapped woman and arrested a suspected member of her abductors' gang during a raid carried out on a criminal hideout in the state.

The command's spokesperson, ASP Blessing Agabe, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Port Harcourt.

A Rivers State resident, identified simply as Loveth, was abducted on September 2 while seated in front of her shop in Port Harcourt. According to Agabe, armed men reportedly fired shots into the air before forcefully seizing Loveth and driving off with her in a vehicle.

Following the incident, operatives of the Eleme Police Division launched intelligence-led operations to track down the suspected kidnappers. "The operation led police operatives to the criminal hideout where officers engaged the suspected kidnappers in a gun battle. Subsequently, operatives overpowered the suspected kidnappers and successfully rescued Loveth," Agabe said.

She disclosed that a suspected member of the gang, aged 35, was apprehended during the operation. Police also recovered a silver-coloured minibus bearing the registration number RBC 992 XE, Abuja, along with two locally made pistols. Additional items recovered included live ammunition, a mobile phone, two identity cards, two black gowns, and a vehicle number plate marked KRK 528 HG.

Agabe said the command has since intensified intelligence gathering and surveillance operations to identify and apprehend other members of the gang.

According to the spokesperson, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, has assured residents of the command's commitment to protecting lives and property and bringing criminal elements to justice. He warned that there is no safe haven for criminals operating within the state, adding, "The command will continue to deploy all lawful and available resources to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of kidnapping and other violent crimes."

The commissioner further advised residents to remain more vigilant, particularly given the potential rise in crime during the ember months, and urged members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to support police efforts in combating crime across the state.