June 4, (THEWILL)- The Rivers State Police Command has uncovered a car snatching criminal gang, behind the killing of car-hire drivers in the state.
The spokesperson of the Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, who disclosed this in a statement, linked the gang to multiple cases of drivers that got missing.
She said the arrest of one gang member, Anthony Chima, exposed the sinister activities of the gang in the state.
“The discovery of this criminal enterprise targeting Uber drivers in the state, followed the disappearance of one Oghenevwarhe Barry Akpobome, an Uber driver.
“Upon investigating the disappearance, Police operatives arrested one Anthony Chima, a 35-year-old graduate of Political Science from the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt.
“Under interrogation, Chima confessed to being recruited into a gang that specialised in luring taxi drivers into ambushes and stealing their vehicles.
“Chima’s testimony showed the gang’s further gruesome actions of killing the drivers and harvesting their body parts for ritualistic purposes.
“The suspect said that he was introduced into the gang by his friend, Amfoh Abu, the group’s arms dealer and another individual, simply identified as ‘Reason’.
“Investigation further revealed that ‘General Effizy,’ the gang’s leader, is a prominent figure in the Greenland cult and a seasoned kidnapper in the state”, she added.
According to the police, Chima confessed he randomly obtains the Uber drivers’ phone numbers and pretends to be a passenger in need of a ride.
She said that on January 10, Chima contacted Akpobome and directed the driver to pick him up at Reason’s residence.
“Disguised as a passenger, Chima lured the unsuspecting Uber driver to a remote area in Aminigboko, where he met Reason and General Effizy along with four-armed gang members.
“The driver was forcefully removed from the vehicle and taken to Effizy’s shrine, where he was tied up, gagged and gruesomely murdered.
“Chima later led the police to the shrine and Effizy’s residence, where personnel recovered the victim’s skull and a locally fabricated Baretta pistol.
“The Akpobome incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk in the shadows and the importance of vigilance and cooperation with the law enforcement agencies”, she said, adding that a manhunt had been launched to capture the fleeing gang members.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police in Rivers, Tunji Disu, has advised Uber drivers to be cautious while picking up or transporting passengers, particularly to remote or potentially dangerous areas.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
