A 26-year-old man has been detained by Rivers State police for kidnapping, killing, and disposing of a woman’s remains in a forest.
The state’s Emohua Community and Emohua Local Government Area received reports of the development.
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 discovered that Blessing had shared a photo of Rita on her WhatsApp status to commemorate her birthday. Additionally, Blessing’s brother, Goodnews Iberi, had requested her to ask Rita out on a date after viewing his sister’s status.
It was discovered that when Rita came to visit after her friend had invited her, Goodnews and his friends had murdered her and told Blessing that Rita had not shown up.
Even after killing Blessing’s friend Rita, the suspect later contacted her and wanted a ransom.
However, police in a statement in Port Harcourt, noted that one of the suspects, Goodnews, has been arrested and already in net.
According to Grace Iringe-Koko, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, the victim was reported missing on December 13.
Iringe-Koko: “After receiving a distress report from the victim’s brother (name withheld) on December 29, 2025, the Rivers State Police Command, in a daring and well-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.
Recall that on December 13, 2025, Rita was abducted and transported to an awful woodland along the East/West Road in Emohua after being persuaded to the Rumuakunde axis in Emohua LGA by the suspect and four of his accomplices, who are currently at large. Even after obtaining N210,000 in ransom from the victim’s relatives, the accused proceeded to murder her.
“On January 8, 2026, at approximately 0630 hours, Operatives of the Command attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit (ACU) Emohua annex, using intelligence-led Policing, arrested Iberi in his hideout in response to this distressing but credible piece of information.”
Iringe-Koko stated that the lady’s beheaded body had been placed at a mortuary and that initial inquiry revealed that Goodnews committed the crime with other accomplices.
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