Operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Rivers State police Command, have arrested five suspected kidnappers and rescued a female victim.

Spokesperson for the command, Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, in a statement on X, on Tuesday, stated that suspects confessed to luring their victims from Port Harcourt, through online dating sites before kidnapping them.

Mrs Kaborlo said, “The Rivers State Police Command has arrested five suspected kidnappers allegedly involved in the abduction of a 24-year-old woman, one Chinyere, along the Igwirita–Etche Road in Rivers State.

“On October 4, 2026, at about 0900 hours, the Command received a complaint that one Chinyere, had been kidnapped. The victim had reportedly travelled from Delta State to Port Harcourt on October 3, 2026, to visit a friend when she was abducted along the Igwirita–Etche Road.”

Mrs Kaborlo stated that following the directives by the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, the command’s VCRU, Diobu, upon receiving the complaint, swung into action and arrested the perpetrators of this crime. 

She said, “The suspects are one Gift Okeregwu, male, aged 23, a native of Okehi Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, who was arrested at his hideout along the Omuoda Pipeline, Allu, Port Harcourt; One Okeregwu Onyekachi, male, aged 27, a native of Okehi Community, Etche LGA; one Bright Augustine, male, aged 27, a native of Akukabu Community, Etche LGA; one Chijoke Nwalozie, male, aged 35, a native of Akukabu Community, Etche LGA; and one Obinachi Rita, female, aged 26, a native of Rivers State.

“During investigation, the suspects confessed to their involvement in the kidnapping and disclosed information about other kidnapping incidents within Igwirita and Etche. They further disclosed that they lured victims from within and outside Port Harcourt through online dating sites before abducting them.”

Mr Adepoju reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and bringing perpetrators of kidnapping and other violent crimes to justice.

The command urged members of the public to exercise caution when interacting with strangers met through online dating platforms, verify identities before arranging physical meetings and promptly report suspicious activities to the police.