The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 26-year-old man, Goodnews Iberi, in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a 25-year-old woman, Rita Eleonu, in a crime that has shocked residents of the state and reignited concerns over violent crime and ritual killings.
Police said the suspect, working with accomplices who are still at large, allegedly lured the victim to the Emuoha axis of the East-West Road before abducting her and taking her into a forest. Rita Eleonu, a native of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, was later killed despite her family paying a ransom of ₦210,000 for her release.
The Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed the development in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday. According to her, the victim was kidnapped on December 13, 2025, after being deceived into travelling to the Rumuakunde area of Emohua Local Government Area.
“After collecting the ransom from the victim’s family, the suspects murdered her for suspected ritual purposes and buried her remains in a shallow grave within the forest,” Iringe-Koko said.
She explained that the arrest followed a distress call by a relative of the deceased on December 29, 2025. Operatives attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit in Emohua immediately launched an intelligence-led operation, leading to the arrest of Iberi at his hideout in the early hours of January 8, 2026.
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During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to the crime and provided details of his role, implicating four other members of the gang. He also led police officers to the forest where the decomposing remains of the victim were exhumed and deposited at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital mortuary for autopsy.
The Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Olugbenga Adepoju, commended the swift and coordinated efforts of the officers involved in the operation. He urged residents to remain vigilant and continue to support the police with credible information that could aid the arrest of the fleeing suspects.
Adepoju assured members of the public that the identities of informants would be protected, stressing that community cooperation remains critical in the fight against crime.