Police arrest suspected Rivers robbery kingpin

The operatives of Rivers State Police Command said its officers have arrested a notorious armed robber and cultist in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers in Bodo community.

Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the state police command, revealed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, in Port Harcourt.

Iringe-Koko said the suspect, aged 26, was identified as Menemene Lucky Baboona, popularly known as Federal.

She said the suspect was nabbed by operatives of the Kpor Division, headquarters of Gokana LGA, in collaboration with a local vigilante group in the area.

The state’s police image maker said the suspect, whom she described as notorious, had made useful statements that would lead to the arrest of other fleeing members.

The statement partly reads, “Operatives of the command attached to Kpor Division, in collaboration with a local vigilante group, arrested a notorious cultist and armed robbery kingpin, one Menemene Lucky Baboona, a.k.a. Federal witch ‘M,’ aged 26 years, a native of the Bodo community in Gokana Local Government Area in Rivers State.

“The suspect made a useful statement to arrest other fleeing members of his gang, and the investigation is ongoing.”

On March 20, 2024, PUNCH Metro reported the arrest of another suspected cultist and armed robber who was accused of participating in a series of killings and robberies within the Diobu area of Port Harcourt and other parts of the state.

Iringe-Koko stated that the cultist, named Samuel Nwokoma, aged 25, along with his gang, was behind the killing of two youths in the Diobu area of Mile 1 in Port Harcourt during an attack between March 14 and 17, 2024.

She stated that the gang shot Ede Sunday dead, aged 32, on Nanka Street by Lumumba, Diobu, Port Harcourt, on March 14, and also shot George Johnson, aged 28, in the chest on Ojoto Street by Emenike, Mile 1 in Port Harcourt, two days later.

“In a significant breakthrough, Samuel Nwokoma led police operatives to the gang’s hideout at Ogwu Waterside in Diobu, Port Harcourt.

“However, upon the arrival of the police, the remaining gang members fled the scene and attempted to evade capture by jumping into the river. Intensive efforts are currently underway to apprehend the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice.

“The search conducted at the hideout yielded substantial evidence in the form of recovered arms and ammunition,” Iringe-Koko added.