Rivers State police say they have arrested five people they accuse of running a kidnapping syndicate that targets victims through online dating platforms, and they rescued a 24-year-old woman. Police spokesperson Agabe Kaborlo says the victim, identified as Chinyere, travelled from Delta State to Port Harcourt on October 3, 2026, to visit a friend she met online before she was abducted.
The police report that the case was reported on October 4, 2026, at about 9am, and that officers from the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) Diobu moved quickly after receiving the complaint. In addition to rescuing the woman, the command says the suspects confessed to their involvement and provided information about other abduction incidents in Igwirita and Etche. Police also say the suspects told investigators they lured people from within and outside Port Harcourt using dating sites before abducting them.
Across outlets, the coverage focuses on the arrests, the “dating sites” lure, and the rescued victim. Differences are mainly in how much detail each paper includes, with some simply summarising the police account and others listing names and circumstances more fully.
