The Rivers State Police Command has dismantled a suspected one-chance robbery and kidnapping syndicate operating in Port Harcourt and its environs, arresting 14 suspects, including two women.
The suspects were also allegedly linked to cult-related activities, according to the police.
Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this while parading the suspects before journalists at the command headquarters in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Adepoju said the arrests followed several complaints from residents about the activities of suspected criminals operating within and around the state capital.
He explained that actionable intelligence led to the initial arrest of five suspects, with further investigations resulting in additional arrests.
Among those identified by the police were Nelson Idakiniselegha, 30, also known as Mandela; Michael Matthew, 29, aka Pilot; Kelly Edison, 30, aka BTC; Daniel Obodo, 18, aka Mazi; and Chisom Unegbu, 28, aka Favour.
Police said they recovered a black-and-white Keke mini-bus with registration number RGM 823 XE, along with 16 mobile phones suspected to have been stolen from victims.
According to the commissioner, the command intensified intelligence-led operations following repeated reports of one-chance robberies across Port Harcourt.
He said operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit raided a suspected criminal hideout on Niger Street at about 2:45am on August 18, 2026, leading to the arrest of Idakiniselegha.
During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to being a member of a five-man one-chance robbery syndicate.
The police said further investigation revealed the existence of another suspected four-man syndicate operating around Garrison, Aba Road, Rumuola, Air Force, Rumuokwurusi, Obiri-Ikwerre and Choba areas of Port Harcourt.
Matthew was subsequently arrested on August 23 at about 10:30pm. Police identified him as an alleged member of the Iceland cult group and the suspected ringleader of one of the syndicates operating along the Aba Road, East-West Road, Choba and NTA Road corridors.
Edison and Obodo were also arrested at their respective hideouts in connection with the alleged robbery syndicates. Police said the suspects confessed to participating in the criminal activities during interrogation.
Adepoju further alleged that Idakiniselegha specialised in removing SIM cards from victims’ phones and using them to facilitate unauthorised withdrawals from their bank accounts.
On August 24, at about 1:20pm, Unegbu, who police identified as the alleged driver of the syndicate, was arrested at a hotel on Aker Road in Port Harcourt.
The mini-bus suspected to have been used by the group was recovered, along with 16 mobile phones allegedly taken from victims during the reported one-chance robberies.
The commissioner said 14 suspects linked to the alleged one-chance syndicates had so far been arrested, while investigations were continuing to identify other members, trace victims and recover additional proceeds of crime.
Adepoju directed the command’s tactical and investigative units to sustain intelligence-led operations against criminal networks across Rivers State.
He also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious individuals, vehicles and criminal activities to the police.
