Rivers: Police arrest 33 suspects, recover 21 AK-47 rifles in 8 months

Police operatives in Rivers State have arrested a total of 33 suspected criminals and recovered 21 AK-47 rifles and other weapons between January and August, 2025 in different locations across the state. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Olugbenga A. Adepoju, while speaking with newsmen at the command headquarters in Port Harcourt on Thursday, […]

Police operatives in Rivers State have arrested a total of 33 suspected criminals and recovered 21 AK-47 rifles and other weapons between January and August, 2025 in different locations across the state.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Olugbenga A. Adepoju, while speaking with newsmen at the command headquarters in Port Harcourt on Thursday, said the operatives cracked down on and arrested suspected vandals at an oil-spilled well in the Kpean community during that period.

He said the operatives also arrested suspected sea pirates and averted violent threats at the Eresekiri fishing port, Abonnema.

He stated: “Upon my assumption of duty as the 47th Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, I pledged to lead the command with strategy, professionalism, and collaboration.

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“In the past months, the Rivers State Police Command, working in close synergy with the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), DSS, and other critical security stakeholders, has made remarkable progress in our sustained operations to curb criminal activities across the state.

“Through this united effort, we have intensified our crackdown on violent crimes, leading to the arrest of numerous suspects involved in heinous offences such as armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, human trafficking, and murder, as well as the recovery of vital exhibits.

“Operatives arrested vandals at an oil-spilled well in the Kpean community. (The crime was committed on August 10, 2025). The persons arrested include Joseph Nsukpe (38), James Nkpogio (20), Godspower Ngbam (28), Happy Mdor (27), Apolebabari Ibede (35), and seven others.

“Suspected murders of Barrister Bright Owhor and a theft of his funds, and a cult-related violence were also addressed within the period.

“We made some breakthroughs in recovering weapons from the criminals, including21 AK-47 rifles, 66 locally made guns, 800 ammunition, four magazines, eight revolver pistols, 155 vehicles, 34 pump-action shotguns, Dane guns, twoscorpion sub-machine guns, one Lar rifle and eight explosives,” he said.