The Nigeria Police, Rivers State Command says it has arrested 14 suspects linked to various one-chance robbery syndicates operating within Port Harcourt and its environs.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Adepoju said the arrests followed incessant reports of one-chance robbery incidents in the Port Harcourt metropolis, prompting him to direct the Violent Crime Response Unit, (VCRU), to intensify intelligence-led operations against criminal syndicates.
According to him, operatives first arrested 30-year-old Nelson Idakiniseleg, also known as Mandela, at a suspected criminal hideout on Niger Street, Port Harcourt, on August 18, 2026.
The suspect, who hails from Nkoro Town in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, allegedly confessed to being a member of a five-man one-chance robbery syndicate and provided information that led to the arrest of other suspects.
The Police Commissioner said subsequent investigations led to the arrest of Michael Matthew, alias Pilot, 29, who was allegedly identified as a member of the Iceland cult group and ring leader of one of the syndicates operating along Aba Road, East-West Road, Choba and NTA Road.
Also arrested were Kelly Edison, alias BTC, 30, Daniel Obodo, alias Mazi, 18, and Chisom Unegbu, alias Favour, 28, who was allegedly identified as the driver of the syndicate.
Police said a black-and-white Keke mini-bus with registration number RGM 823 XE, allegedly used for the operations, was recovered from the suspects. Sixteen assorted mobile phones suspected to have been stolen from victims were also recovered.
The Command said investigation revealed that Idakiniseleg allegedly specialised in removing SIM cards from victims’ phones and using them to facilitate unauthorised withdrawals from their bank accounts.
CP Adepoju said the suspects had confessed to their alleged involvement in the criminal activities, while efforts were ongoing to identify their victims, recover other proceeds of crime and arrest additional members of the syndicates.
He assured residents that the Command would sustain intelligence-led operations to dismantle criminal networks involved in one-chance robbery, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and other violent crimes.
The Police Commissioner further urged Rivers residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, vehicles, criminal activities and cases of police misconduct to the appropriate authorities.
