When a new CP arrives a state, often, the people witness a boost in policing and bursting of criminal gangs. Soon, it dies down into status quo. But now this present police command in Rivers State since the new CP, Abonyi Polycarp Emeka, hit the town.
Before he came, policing seemed to get to lowest ebb with opposition political parties accusing the police of total complicity.
Gangs operated freely. The police were rather running from gangs. Now, it’s the other way round.
No week passes without an account of successes recorded against gangs and criminals. Thus, every week, gangs lose more grounds through effective deployment of intelligence and follow up firepower.
Highlights of the last one week include arrest of a notorious kidnapper, smashing of a gang and rescue of a woman supermarket owner who was abducted in Diobu one week before but was rescued when she was to be moved out of Port Harcourt.
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Making the disclosure on Monday, July 17, 2023, in Port Harcourt, the new CP told newsmen that the command has recorded great feats in the war against criminality in the State. Cult gangs seem to be endangered species these days.
Narrating further, the crime buster narrated how one wanted suspect named Otamiri Chinedu of Ulakwo was captured.
He stated that the said suspect is involved in the kidnapping of about four student lawyers in August 2022, between Nihi and Ulakwo in Etche LGA.
The suspect also confessed to other kidnappings around Etche LGA.
He disclosed that the Hunter Strike Unit of the Command, while working on credible information at about 1400hrs at Ogbakiri Forest Emouha, LGA, Rivers State, on stormed the camp of a notorious kidnap kingpin, one Princewill Urlu (aka Boboyo or Bibiyo), now at large.
Five suspects were arrested and two AK47 rifles and 142 rounds of AK47 live ammunition and other things were recovered.
He said police operatives are on their toes in making sure that the fleeing suspects (the kingpin and his cohorts) are brought to justice.
Another outstanding feat was the rescue of a supermarket owner in Diobu who was abducted in her location last week. Now, operatives of Abali Park division, on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at about 04:30pm while on stop and search at Kaduna Street/Aba Road behind, intercepted a Nissan Primera Car.
“Immediately, two of the occupants ran away, leaving a woman who was blindfold inside vehicle. When she was untied, she told them how she was kidnapped from her shop, at Umorji Street, Mile One Diobu Port Harcourt, on Friday, July 7, 2023. Investigation in progress to arrest fleeing suspects.”
In the past, the gang would have succeeded in whisking her out of town to places like Igbo-Etche. Even now, Etche and Emuoha are under attack by the police such that the gangs want amnesty.
