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The Rivers State Police Command has arrested 14 suspected members of a notorious one-chance robbery and kidnapping syndicate accused of terrorising residents of Port Harcourt and surrounding communities.
The suspects, including two women, are also believed to have links to cult groups, according to the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, who paraded them at the command headquarters in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Adepoju said the arrests followed numerous complaints from residents over the activities of one-chance robbers operating across the state capital.
He explained that intelligence-driven operations by the command's Violent Crime Response Unit led to the initial arrest of five suspects before other members of the syndicate were tracked down.
The first set of suspects arrested were identified as Nelson Idakiniselegha, also known as Mandela; Michael Matthew, alias Pilot; Kelly Edison, alias BTC; Daniel Obodo, alias Mazi; and Chisom Unegbu, alias Favour.
Items recovered from the suspects include a tricycle (Keke) with registration number RGM 823 XE and 16 mobile phones believed to have been stolen from victims.
The police commissioner disclosed that operatives raided a suspected criminal hideout on Niger Street, Port Harcourt, in the early hours of August 18, 2026, where Idakiniselegha was arrested.
According to him, the suspect confessed to belonging to a five-man one-chance robbery gang and also revealed the existence of another syndicate operating around Garrison, Aba Road, Rumuola, Air Force, Rumuokwurusi, Obiri-Ikwerre and Choba.
Further investigations led to the arrest of Michael Matthew on August 23, 2026. Police described him as a member of the Iceland cult group and the alleged leader of a gang operating along Aba Road, East-West Road, Choba and NTA Road.
Two other suspects, Kelly Edison and Daniel Obodo, were later arrested at separate hideouts and reportedly confessed to participating in the robberies.
Adepoju also alleged that Idakiniselegha specialised in removing victims' SIM cards and using them to facilitate unauthorised withdrawals from their bank accounts.
The command said Chisom Unegbu, believed to be one of the drivers used in the operations, was also apprehended during the investigation.
The police commissioner said all 14 suspects remain under investigation while efforts continue to arrest other members of the syndicate, identify victims and recover additional stolen property.
He assured residents that the command would sustain intelligence-led operations to dismantle criminal networks across Port Harcourt and other parts of Rivers State.
Adepoju urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, vehicles and criminal activities to security agencies.
