Metro
Police bust ritualist gang targeting Uber drivers in Rivers
The Rivers State Police Command has apprehended a graduate of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, for allegedly luring cab drivers to ritualists.
He will face charges in court, according to the State police command.
Spokesperson of the Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Iringe-Koko, said the arrest of the suspect, Anthony Chima, aged 35, a graduate of Political Science from the university followed the sudden disappearance of an Uber driver identified as Oghenevwarhe Akpobome, upon which operatives swung into action.
She stated that after his arrest, the suspect confessed to how he was recruited into a gang that specialized in luring cab drivers into ambushes, stealing their vehicles, and ultimately murdering them for ritualistic purposes and organ harvesting.
The statement read, “In a shocking turn of events, the Rivers State Police have uncovered a disturbing criminal enterprise that has been targeting Uber drivers in the region.
“The investigation was sparked by the disappearance of one such driver, Oghenevwarhe Barry Akpobome, leading to the arrest and confession of 35-year-old Anthony Chima, a political science graduate from the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education.
“According to Chima’s testimony, he was recruited into a gang that specialized in luring cab drivers into ambushes, stealing their vehicles, and ultimately murdering them for ritualistic purposes and organ harvesting.”
Iringe-Koko further said, “Chima revealed that he was brought into the fold by a friend, Amfoh Abu, who introduced him to the gang’s armourer, a man known as “Reason,” and the notorious ringleader, “General Effizy,” a prominent figure in the Greenland cult and a seasoned kidnapper.
“The chilling details of Akpobome’s demise emerged as Chima recounted the events of January 10, 2024. On that fateful day, he was summoned to Reason’s residence and instructed to call a driver whose number he had previously collected. Posing as a passenger, Chima then lured the unsuspecting Uber driver to a remote area in Aminigboko, where he and Reason were met by General Effizy and four armed gang members.
“The driver was forcibly removed from the vehicle and taken to Effizy’s shrine, where he was bound, gagged, and ultimately murdered.”
The statement added, “Chima’s involvement in the gruesome act was confirmed when the police, following his confession, recovered the victim’s skull and a locally fabricated Beretta pistol from Effizy’s residence.
“This disturbing revelation has sent shockwaves through the community”
To this effect, the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, had advised both citizens and Uber drivers to exercise caution when boarding or transporting passengers, especially to remote or potentially dangerous areas.
“The investigation is ongoing, with the authorities still searching for the fleeing suspects involved in this chilling criminal enterprise.
“The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk in the shadows and the importance of vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement and the public in maintaining the safety of all citizens. Meanwhile, the suspect would be charged to court immediately,” the state police image maker stated.
The Oyo State Police Command has rescued 84 Congolese from a human trafficking syndicate operating in Ibadan, the state capital.
The victims were allegedly held captive for an unknown period in a building located in the Orogun area of Ibadan.
Sunday PUNCH gathered that the victims were trafficked to Nigeria under the pretence of providing employment opportunities for them.
According to reports, the human traffickers had extorted large sums of money, reportedly in US dollars, from the victims’ families and relatives as part of their scheme to lure the victims into the country.
In a video shared by Channels TV, the rescued individuals, including a baby, were seen being escorted to police vans and buses.
The victims were later transported to the Police Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, where they are currently being held while investigations continue.
However, attempts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of Oyo State Command, Adewale Osifeso, for comment on the development were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his phone were not responded to at the time of this report.
A tragic accident on the Oyo-Ogbomoso road in Oyo State has claimed the lives of several students who were on their way to sit for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination.
In a video clip seen by SaharaReporters, the incident occurred on the morning of Saturday. It involved a commercial vehicle conveying the students to a JAMB centre in Ogbomoso.
Eyewitnesses at the scene said the crash happened when the vehicle had a brake failure.
“Fatal accident claimed the life of the students that were going to write JAMB in OGBOMOSO on OYO road, Oyo State,” the video was captioned.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Command, Adewale Osifeso has not responded to calls and messages confirming the report.
SaharaReporters reported that JAMB said it arrested 27 impersonators in the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
JAMB had noted the 27 impersonators apprehended had been handed over to the Nigerian police for immediate prosecution.
The board also announced that it delisted four Computer-Based Test, CBT centres that had failed to meet the stringent technical standards required for the UTME.
JAMB named the delisted centres as Adventure Associate, Behind Sheshe Supermarket, Off Hadejia Road, Kano, Kano State; Saadatu Rimi College of Education, Zaria Road, Naibawa, Kano, Kano State; Penta M & F Technical Services Ltd, Centre 2, 96km Sokoto-Jega Road, Tambuwal and Penta M & F Technical Services Ltd, Centre 1, 96km Sokoto-Jega Road, Tambuwal.
“While JAMB commends the 883 centres that have demonstrated exceptional performance, it unequivocally warns that any centre which failed the ethical or technical standards , regardless of ownership, will be blacklisted,” JAMB said in a statement on Friday by its spokesman, Fabian Benjamin.
“Candidates who were previously scheduled to take their exams at the delisted centres are urged to urgently reprint their examination notification slips to access their new centres and rescheduled dates. We regret any inconvenience this may cause, but we will not tolerate excuses by candidates who fail to reprint their slip to get their new schedules,” it said.
The board revealed that “As of Friday, 25th April, 2025, over 900,000 candidates have successfully completed the UTME out of the 2,083,600 registered for the 2025 examination.”
Troops of the 6 Brigade of the Nigerian Army have arrested a notorious bandit identified as Yusuf Hammadu, popularly known as “Dogo,” in the Lainde Jessy area of Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Hammadu, who had been on the watchlist of security agencies for his alleged involvement in multiple kidnappings and other criminal activities, was apprehended following an intelligence-led operation on April 19.
The Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade, Capt. Olubodunde Oni, disclosed this in a statement issued in Jalingo on Friday.
According to the Army, the suspect confessed during preliminary interrogation to being a member of a criminal syndicate responsible for several abductions and ransom negotiations across Jalingo, Ardo-Kola, Lau, and Yorro LGAs.
The Army also arrested one Richard Ongu, who was allegedly impersonating a serving Major in the Nigerian Army.
Ongu, who was apprehended on April 22, allegedly claimed to have been posted to 20 Model Battalion, Gashaka, but later admitted to being a dismissed Flight Sergeant of the Nigerian Air Force.
Ongu was said to have defrauded several individuals by falsely posing as a military officer.
The Army noted that Ongu would be handed over to the relevant authorities upon the conclusion of investigations for prosecution.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation on April 16, troops acting on a distress call raided a suspected bandit camp in Dutsen Kachalla, Lau LGA.
According to the Army, though the suspects fled into surrounding hills, the soldiers recovered an AK-47 rifle butt, a magazine, a military headgear, and a National Identity Card belonging to one Adamu Umaru Jauro.
The Army said on April 24, a joint operation involving Army troops and operatives from the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Jatau-Nyimu village, Donga LGA, also led to the recovery of 86 rounds of 5.6mm ammunition, a Tarvor mag
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