Police in Rivers detain four alleged kidnappers.

Four alleged kidnappers have been detained by the Rivers State Police Command’s Octopus Strike Force Unit. Two additional members of the criminal group as well as “Lover Boy” and “2flexy,” who were thought to be members of the Sailors and Deygbam cults respectively, were also detained.

The Guardian has learned that a vigilante was allegedly shot dead during a gunfight that lasted from December 4 to December 5, 2022, on both Sunday and Monday.

Security personnel, including the Octopus Strike Force Police unit, reportedly followed the alleged kidnappers who were thought to be on security agencies’ wanted lists last Sunday before doubling-crossing the attackers in front of a new generation bank on Abacha Road in Government Reserved Area, phase 2, Port Harcourt.

An eyewitness, who only gave his name as Francis, said that when the criminals saw the security guards, they fired on them. The guards returned fire, sparking a gunfight that left two of the suspects injured.

The event, according to information provided to The Guardian, resulted in severe traffic jams as commuters and drivers abandoned their cars and fled in all directions.

According to reports, the security personnel blocked off the area of the road where the event occurred. Additionally, the Octopus Strike Force Police unit headed to the criminals’ hideaway along the Sagana axis of the railway in Mile 1 Diobu on a follow-up raid. There, the police allegedly neutralized two other gang members during a gunfight.

The spokeswoman for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe Koko, had previously pledged to respond to The Guardian when contacted but had not done so as of the time of publication.