Five Arrested Over Alleged Online Dating Kidnappings In Rivers

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested five suspected kidnappers accused of abducting a 24-year-old woman, identified as Chinyere, along the Igwurita–Etche Road in Rivers State.

The suspects were also alleged to have disclosed during interrogation how they lured victims from within and outside Port Harcourt through online dating platforms before abducting them.

The command’s spokesperson, ASP Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, disclosed this in a statement, saying the suspects were arrested by operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Diobu, following a report of the woman’s abduction.

According to the statement, the victim had travelled from Delta State to Port Harcourt on October 3, 2026, to visit a friend when she was allegedly abducted along the Igwurita–Etche Road.

The police said they received a complaint about the incident at about 9 a.m. on October 4, prompting an immediate response by the VCRU operatives following the directives of the Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju.

The operation reportedly led to the arrest of five suspects allegedly connected to the kidnapping.

They were identified as Gift Okeregwu, 23, from Okehi community in Etche Local Government Area; Okeregwu Onyekachi, 27, also from Okehi; Bright Augustine, 27, and Chijoke Nwalozie, 35, both from Akukabu community in Etche LGA; and Obinachi Rita, 26, a native of Rivers State.

The statement said Gift Okeregwu was arrested at his hideout along the Omuoda Pipeline in Allu, Port Harcourt.

During interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to their involvement in the abduction and provided information about other kidnapping incidents in the Igwurita and Etche areas.

The police further alleged that the suspects revealed a method of operation involving the use of online dating sites to lure unsuspecting victims into physical meetings before abducting them.

However, the command did not provide further details about the circumstances of the victim’s rescue, the duration of her captivity or whether any ransom was demanded or paid.

The police also did not disclose whether the suspects had been formally charged in court.

The Commissioner of Police, Adepoju, reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and ensuring that those involved in kidnapping and other violent crimes were brought to justice.

The command urged members of the public to exercise caution when interacting with strangers met through online dating platforms, verify their identities before arranging physical meetings and promptly report suspicious activities to the police.

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