The Rivers State police command says it has just fought a battle to burst a gang that specialises in setting up roadblocks along the Port Harcourt-Owerri Road and abducting passengers.
The new police commissioner, Mustapha Bala, said the modus operandi of the gang was to set up illegal roadblocks at strategic points along the expressway before attacking motorists at gunpoint and taking innocent people hostage for ransom.
When the police struck, they arrested two suspects on October 17, 2024, through the Anti-Kidnapping Unit while the third suspect, who was identified as the gang leader was arrested at Egbeda on October, 19, 2024.
The police said the suspects have confessed to crimes of Kidnapping, and that their arrest was made possible after the Police traced their whereabouts through intelligence gathered, saying further investigations were ongoing to arrest their remaining accomplices and retrieve their operational weapons as well as uncover the full extent of their criminal network.
The arrest is expected to bring some calm on the busy Owerri Road from Port Harcourt which serves as a gateway from most South-South states to Imo, Anambara, Asaba, Lagos, and western Nigeria.
The police boss told newsmen that the Owerri Road success came from intensified crackdown on criminal activities along the route, which has been a hotspot for violent attacks on motorists. He accused the group of being behind the abduction of a National Youth Service Corps NYSC) member and two others along the Elele/Omerelu axis of the expressway.
The police assured the public of its renewed vigilance in ensuring the safety of all road users along the Port Harcourt-Owerri Expressway, urging citizens to remain alert and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
The police also reported successful conduct of two coordinated operations in the Elechi Beach and Nanka waterfront areas, targeting criminal hideouts believed to be hubs for illegal activities.
Acting on credible intelligence, the police stated, operatives of the C4i Strike Force (Octopus) launched strategic raids in both locations, leading to the arrest of a notorious armed robber, and the recovery of one vehicle, arms and ammunition.
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