In a sweeping intelligence-driven operation, the Rivers State Police Command has successfully dismantled a notorious interstate car-snatching syndicate, arresting 12 suspects and recovering 22 stolen vehicles traced across multiple states.
The operation, led by the Command’s Strikeforce/Octopus team, was triggered by a report in September 2024 from one Mr. Enoch Daniel, whose Toyota Hiace bus was forcefully taken at Trailer Park, Onne.
This prompted a targeted investigation that resulted in the arrest of ex-convicts John Amadi and Nna Goodluck, who confessed to using hammers to snatch the vehicle under instructions from one Godspower Okpa.
Further raids across Rivers, Kano, Obibo, and Akwa Ibom led to the arrest of other key players, including a dismissed police officer, Adamu Musa, found in possession of 11 stolen vehicles.
The syndicate’s operations spanned at least eight states and involved a complex export route to Cameroon. The Command also arrested a fake pastor who served as a broker and an ex-convict who earned over ₦5 million in eight months.
The ringleader, Falco Ibrahim, remains at large as efforts to track him intensify.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, all suspects will face charges upon conclusion of investigations.
She reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to rooting out criminal syndicates and called on residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting law enforcement efforts.
