Police in Rivers State have arrested a 26-year-old man for kidnapping, killing a lady and dumping her remains in a forest.
The development was reported in Emohua Community, Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that the victim, Rita Eleonu, who hailed from Rundele Community, Emohua LGA, but resides at Rumuekini in Obio/Akpor LGA was lured through her friend, Miss Blessing, reports Vanguard.
It was learnt that Blessing had posted the picture of Rita on her WhatsApp status, to celebrate her (Rita’s) birthday and that Blessing’s brother, Goodnews Iberi, who had viewed his sister’s status had asked her (Blessing) to invite Rita for a date.
It was gathered that when Rita visited following the invitation by her friend that Goodnews and his friends killed her and presented to Blessing that Rita failed to turn up for the date.
However, the suspect later reached out to Blessing and demanded ransom from her even after killing her friend, Rita.
However, police in a statement in Port Harcourt, noted that one of the suspects, Goodnews, has been arrested and already in net.
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the development, stating that the victim was declared missing December 13.
Iringe-Koko: “The Rivers State Police Command in a bold and coordinated operation, has arrested one Goodnews Iberi, a 26-year-old native of Rumuakunde Community in Emohua LGA, in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Rita Eleonu, a 25-year-old female from Rumuekini Community in Obio Akpor LGA, following a distress report on December 29, 2025, by the victim’s brother (name withheld).
“Recalled that on December 13, 2025, the suspect and four of his accomplices, now at large, lured Rita to Rumuakunde axis in Emohua LGA, where she was kidnapped and later taken to an evil forest along the East/West Road in Emohua. The suspects after collecting the sum of N210,000 ransom from the victim’s family still killed her.
“Acting on this distressing, but credible piece of information, Operatives of the Command attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit (ACU) Emohua annex, utilising intelligence-led Policing, arrested Iberi on January 8, 2026, about 0630hrs in his hide out.”
Iringe-Koko noted that preliminary investigation showed that Goodnews committed the crime alongside other accomplices, adding that the decapitated body of the lady had been deposited at a mortuary.
