Three kidnap suspects who lure victims through online dating sites arrested in Rivers

*They target female victims kidnap, rape and robbed.

Eric Olusesan/Port Harcourt 

Operatives of the control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) Unit of the Rivers Police Command have arrested three kidnap syndicates who lure victims through online dating sites.

According to the Command in a press statement signed by SP Grace Iringe-Koko, Spokesperson of the command on January 6 at about 8.30 pm arrested one Ikechi Promise aged 30years, native of Akwu Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, and one Darlington Obi aged 35 years, a native of Ikem Community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Their arrest is linked to their recent operation, which occurred on December 20, 2022, around 7.45 pm, when a 28years old Lady of Okoha Road, Iwofe, Port Harcourt, was lured down to Igwurita market junction, kidnapped, and taken to Chokocho Pipeline, in Etche Local Government Area where the members of the kidnapping syndicate raped her and collected her two iPhones and a Samsung phone.

Furthermore, the kidnappers later collected a ransom of Six Hundred Thousand Naira (N600, 0000.00) from the victims’ relatives before she was released on December 21, 2022.

SP Iringe-Koko said “The suspects confessed that their modus operandi is to lure girls out through chats on Tinder for Relationships, a popular social media platform.

“Based on relentless follow-up, the gang leader of the kidnapping syndicate, Promise Nwaobiri, 32, was tracked and arrested at Choba Area of Port Harcourt on January 9, 2023 at about 1pm.

The command assured that the search for the other fleeing members of gang suspects is in top gear.

The command observed that in recent times, there have been several reports of girls being lured through phones and kidnapped. Therefore, the Command advises that girls should be wary of relationships on social media that would warrant their travelling to meet people they have not physically seen or met before.

 “While painstaking effort is being deployed to ensure the above, members of the public are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police at the following emergency numbers: 08039213071, 08098880134”, Iringe-Koko said.