The Rivers State Police Command has dismissed a viral social media claim alleging that a woman narrowly escaped being kidnapped by four people dressed as market women in a commercial tricycle along Woji Bridge in Port Harcourt.
In a statement made available to journalists on Saturday, July 18, 2026, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Agabe Blessing, the Police immediately launched a verification process by contacting all Divisional Police Officers, departments, and police formations across the state.
According to Agabe, the investigation revealed that no such incident was reported at any police division or formation in Rivers State.
The Command also disclosed that efforts to reach the originator of the viral voice recording were unsuccessful.
Police further stated that a preliminary digital assessment of the photograph circulated alongside the audio message showed clear indications that it was generated using Artificial Intelligence and should not be regarded as authentic evidence.
The Command has therefore commenced investigations to identify and arrest those responsible for creating and circulating the false information, warning that anyone found culpable will be prosecuted under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, reassured residents that Rivers State remains peaceful and secure, stressing that the Command is committed to intelligence-led policing and the protection of lives and property.
The police also cautioned members of the public against creating or sharing unverified reports, manipulated content, or AI-generated images capable of causing panic, urging residents to verify information through official channels before dissemination.
The Command encouraged anyone with credible security information to report through the Office of the Police Public Relations Officer or the Complaint Response Unit using the following designated emergency lines:
07057605209
07057605256
08120822987
07072323049