Detectives attached to the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the Rivers State Police Command, following a tip-off on the kidnap of one Dinabari Ereba, have arrested two suspected kidnappers, Osundu Uchendu and Amebulem Amos.
The apprehended duo were among the five-man gang who kidnapped and killed Ereba in a forest at Alesa farm road in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State after collecting ransom from the family.
The victim, the late Ereba, 38 was kidnapped on the 15th of May, 2020 at Woji in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
A team of Police Officers led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operation, ACP Innocent Umerie, took journalists to the scene where the victim was killed and tied to a tree.
Addressing journalists in the forest, Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer ,PPRO, Nnamdi Omoni explained how the two suspects were arrested.
Omoni said efforts were on to arrest the fleeing members of the gang, while investigation was ongoing.
One of the suspects, Osundu Uchendu, 25, who confessed to the crime said he joined the gang as a result of hardship.
Uchendu, who hail from Emohua Local Government Area said he received N30,000 thirty from the ransom.
The suspects confessed to have carried out other operations around Woji, Abuloma, Peter Odili Road and Eleme Communities. The suspects were arrested while trying to change the colour of the stolen deceased’s vehicle.
Meanwhile, the elder brother to the deceased, George Deekor, said his younger brother was coming from the hospital where the sister gave birth before he was kidnapped.
Deekor explained further that the kidnappers after collecting N1 million ransom from the family could not release him, only for the family to realize through Police investigation that he was gruesomely murdered and tied to a tree in a forest at Eleme.
Late Ereba was said to be a sachet water producer and distributor.
Eleme Council Chairman condemns the kidnap and killing of Dinabari Ereba.
The Chairman, Philip Okparaji, expressed shock of the killing in a forest in Alesa, Eleme LGA by a kidnap gang.
Okparaji, while condemning the act warned hoodlums and criminals never to use Eleme land to perpetrate their heinous crime as the Council authority was out to smoke out all criminals from the area.
He condoled with the family of the deceased and commended Rivers State Police Command for living up to its responsibilities.
He stressed his administration’s preparedness to continue to collaborate with Security agencies to give the people of Eleme a new lease of life which has led to the recent establishment and equipping of Volunteer Vigilante group in the area to help give useful information to security agencies towards securing the LGA.
Two Rivers kidnappers nabbed, victim’s decomposing corpse recovered
by Sampson Itode, Port Harcourt
The police in Rivers State, on Tuesday, arrested two suspected notorious kidnappers in a sting operation.
Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, who carried out the operation, recovered the decomposing body of a victim, whom the suspects had earlier abducted and ransom of N1m collected, but the victim was never released.
The cops also recovered a vehicle belonging to the victim, who was identified as Ereba Dinabari.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, said the suspects had confessed to the crime and led detectives to a forest in the Alesa community, Eleme Local Government Area of the state, where the victim’s decomposing body was found tied to a tree.
Omoni added that the victim was kidnapped on Friday, May 5, 2020, at Woji, Port Harcourt by the suspects, Osundu Uchendu, 25, and Amebulem Amos, 23.
He said, “Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit arrested the suspects while doing a follow-up on the kidnap of one Ereba Gospel Dinabari, who was abducted on May 15, 2020, at Woji, Port Harcourt, and a ransom of N1m was paid without the victim being released.
“The Commander of Anti-Kidnapping Unit on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, led operatives to storm Alesa in the Eleme LGA, where two suspects, Osundu Uchendu, 25, and Amebulem Amos, 23, were arrested.
“Their confession led the operatives to a forest at Alesa in the Eleme LGA, where the victim’s decomposing body was found tied to a tree.”
The PPRO stated that the suspects confessed to carrying out a series of kidnappings within the state, adding that once investigation was concluded, they would be charged.
Omoni added, “The Toyota Spider car belonging to the victim was recovered. The suspects confessed to have carried out several kidnappings around Woji, Abuloma, Peter Odili Road and Eleme communities.
“Investigation is still ongoing and they will be charged as soon as investigation is concluded.”

By Okafor Ofiebor