In a disturbing incident, the Rivers State Police Command has apprehended two notorious kidnappers involved in the abduction and live burial of Praise Daakian, a former Community Development Committee Chairman in Kereken-Boue, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The suspects allegedly collected N200,000 as part of the ransom from the victim’s wife before committing this heinous act.
Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, shared this distressing information during a news briefing in Port Harcourt. The arrested suspects, Baridapdo Igia and Elvis Gordon, confessed to leading the Iceland and Degbam cult groups in Khana Local Government Area, terrorizing the community for three years.
Their reign of terror included not only the recent kidnapping and burial of Praise Daakian but also the murder of nine other victims from 2021 to 2023. The suspects’ actions led to a partial evacuation of the community during this period.
In another incident, three suspected armed robbers were arrested in the Trans-Amadi axis of Port Harcourt. The suspects, Elsharawy Joseph, Thankgod Achese, and Ibrahim Ishaq, were apprehended during a routine patrol. They confessed to using the “one chance” model, robbing and stealing from unsuspecting victims using a tricycle along Odili Road and Abuloma areas.
The police recovered a locally made pistol, a dagger, and the suspected stolen tricycle during the operation. Commissioner Olatunji Disu emphasized the importance of collective responsibility in combating crime and urged residents to provide credible and timely information to support the police in maintaining public safety.