Rivers Police Crackdown: 47 Guns, 12 Stolen Vehicles Recovered

A major security offensive by the Rivers State Police Command has yielded the arrest of 18 suspected criminals and the recovery of a staggering 47 firearms, 12 stolen vehicles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

The haul, recorded in operations spanning June to August 2026, underscores an intensified police campaign against kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery, car theft and other violent crimes

threatening communities across the state.
At a press briefing, the Commissioner of Police said the command’s operations had been driven by intelligence gathering, community cooperation and targeted action against criminal networks.

Perhaps the most significant breakthrough was the recovery of two AK-47 rifles allegedly stolen after the June 29 attack on policemen attached to the ALUU Division.

The attack claimed the lives of two officers, left others wounded and reportedly resulted in the amputation of one officer’s leg. The attackers also escaped with the two police rifles.

Following an intelligence-led manhunt, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit and anti-kidnapping team arrested three alleged members of the gang.

They were identified as 34-year-old Maduabuchi Emeka, also known as “Doctor” and described as the alleged gang leader; 42-year-old Chinepu Owo; and 28-year-old Kamachi Joe, said to be the group’s armourer.

Police said Joe led investigators to a hideout in Omogwa, where both AK-47 rifles were recovered.
A fourth suspect linked to the operation remains at large, with the command promising to bring him to justice.

The police also struck at a suspected kidnapping network operating around Obiguluka and surrounding communities.

Five suspects were arrested, including Ezekiel Emano, 44; Chukuma Mbanefu, 51; and Nikola Dalla, 65.

Police alleged that the suspects confessed to kidnapping operations around Kunkum Railway, Obema and Afan communities.

The dragnet widened on July 27 when investigators arrested Anende Ogugu, 35, allegedly an armourer for the group, and Kenneth Eke, 38.

An AK-47 and an SMG rifle were recovered, bringing the number of firearms seized in the operation to four, according to the command.

In Bonny, a complaint over alleged firearm threats against a woman opened the door to another significant weapons recovery.
Police arrested 35-year-old Oguma Yeye Addison after Mrs Vina Oguma reportedly complained that he had threatened her with a firearm.

A search of his premises allegedly produced two Beretta pistols, 97 rounds of live ammunition and a live cartridge.

The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of Dagogo Abusi, 30, and Richard Pulafari, 33, over alleged armed robbery and cultism.

Two other suspects, Dagi Ablelu, 40, and 23-year-old Destini, were arrested in a separate operation, with police recovering a cut-to-size pistol, a double-barrel pump-action gun and five live cartridges.

Police turn spotlight on “one-chance” robbery
The command’s latest operation also targeted the notorious “one-chance” robbery syndicates that prey on unsuspecting commuters.

Two alleged members of a syndicate—Uche Samwe, 45, and Nkechi Amadi, 42—were arrested.
Police said both suspects confessed to their involvement, while investigations continued to identify and apprehend other members of the network.

According to the police, many victims only narrate their experiences on social media without making formal reports at police divisions.

The command said such reports were essential for mapping the syndicates’ routes, identifying their methods and developing effective strategies to disrupt their operations.

In another dramatic operation, police on August 10 intercepted a man allegedly masquerading as a military personnel while driving a Toyota Hilux painted in army colours.

The suspect, 49-year-old Andrew Atcalcy, was stopped during patrol along George Coskas.
Investigators said he admitted that he was not a member of the armed forces.

Three suspected stolen vehicles were allegedly recovered from him—two Toyota Hilux vehicles and a Toyota Corona Premium with registration number NY380ES.

Police said the chassis and engine numbers had been tampered with, suggesting attempts to conceal the vehicles’ identities.

An axe and an item described as military accoutrement were also recovered.

The command’s cumulative figures tell the story of the scale of the operation: 18 suspects arrested, 47 firearms recovered, 12 stolen vehicles recovered and 420 rounds of live ammunition seized.

Other recovered exhibits include five live cartridges, 11 cutlasses and several other items displayed by the police.

The Commissioner said the offensive would continue, warning criminal groups that Rivers State would not become a refuge for them.

He urged residents to continue providing credible intelligence while calling on parents and guardians to pay closer attention to their children’s associations and activities.

With the police promising sustained collaboration with the military, DSS, NSCDC and other stakeholders, the latest operation signals a renewed attempt to dismantle criminal networks before they can entrench themselves across Rivers communities.