Rivers Police Tighten Noose on One-Chance Syndicate

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a one-chance robbery syndicate in connection with the robbery of a female passenger in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, announced the arrests in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Saturday, describing the operation as another major breakthrough in the command’s sustained crackdown on one-chance criminal activities.
The suspects, identified as Uche Samuel, 45, from Imo State, and Nkechi Amadi, 42, from Nekede in Imo State, were apprehended for their alleged involvement in the robbery. The police said the operation was carried out in line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, to dismantle criminal gangs operating across the state.
According to the command, investigations revealed that the victim unknowingly boarded a minibus in the Rumuosi area, unaware that those inside were members of a robbery syndicate.
An eyewitness said the woman raised an alarm and attempted to escape after realizing she had been trapped by the suspects, but the gang resisted her efforts.
“The shouting, the struggle and the victim’s cries attracted passers-by, who chased the speeding vehicle. The driver, unfamiliar with the route, became trapped, prompting residents to attack the suspects before police officers arrived,” the witness said.
The witness added that police officers intervened, rescued the suspects from the angry mob and took them into custody.
Kaborlo disclosed that the suspects confessed during interrogation, while efforts have been intensified to arrest other members of the syndicate who remain at large.
Commissioner of Police Olugbenga Adepoju reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating one-chance operations and other violent crimes, warning that criminal elements would find no hiding place in Rivers State.
He also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and promptly provide useful information to security agencies to aid crime prevention and the arrest of offenders.