RIVERS POLICE NAB 5 KIDNAPPERS WHO LURE VICTIMS THROUGH DATING SITES

Police in Rivers State have arrested five suspected kidnappers accused of using online dating platforms to lure victims before abducting them.

Officers also rescued a 24-year-old woman identified as Chinyere, who had travelled from Delta State to Port Harcourt to visit a friend.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the command’s spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent of Police Blessing Agabe, said the woman arrived on October 3, 2026, and was abducted along Igwuruta–Etche Road.

Police received a report of her kidnapping at about 9am the following day.

Agabe said operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit in Diobu acted on intelligence and tracked down the suspects following directives from the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju.

According to the police, the suspects admitted involvement during questioning and provided information about other kidnapping incidents around Igwuruta and Etche.

They allegedly used dating sites to establish contact with people within and outside Port Harcourt, inviting them to meetings before abducting them.

The command urged members of the public to exercise caution when arranging visits or meeting people through online dating platforms.