- Kidnap victim, Madabuchi Julius, rescued by Rivers State Police Command in Oyigbo.
- Rescue occurred minutes after kidnapping due to swift police intervention.
- Police engaged kidnappers in gun duel, recovering operational vehicle and one gun.
- Victim unharmed.
- Investigations ongoing to apprehend fleeing gang members.
- Additional arrest made: Gabriel Morris, 25, confessed to being part of terrorizing syndicate.
- Recovered items: locally made pistol, suspected Indian Hemp.
- Incidents occurred on November 17 and 18, 2024.
The Rivers State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in combating kidnapping in the state. On November 17, 2024, operatives rescued Madabuchi Julius, a kidnap victim, from his abductors in Oyigbo, just minutes after he was kidnapped . The police received a distress call and swiftly mobilized to the scene, engaging the kidnappers in a gun duel. The kidnappers abandoned their vehicle and fled due to the police’s superior firepower .
The rescued victim was unharmed, and the police recovered the operational vehicle used by the kidnappers, with registration number RIVERS PHC 938 AH, and one gun . The Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed that investigations are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang and recover their operational weapons .
In a related development, the police arrested Gabriel Morris, a 25-year-old suspect, on November 18, 2024, in Oyigbo . During interrogation, Morris confessed to being part of a syndicate that had been terrorizing Oyigbo and its environs. Items recovered from him included a locally made pistol and suspected Indian Hemp .
This successful operation demonstrates the effectiveness of the Rivers State Police Command in combating kidnapping and other crimes in the state .
