The Rivers State Police Command has apprehended several individuals belonging to a criminal syndicate believed to be responsible for the killing of car rental drivers and the subsequent theft of their vehicles. In a statement released on June 3, 2024, in Port Harcourt, Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the command, connected the group to various incidents involving the disappearance of drivers. The exposure of the illicit operations of the gang in the state came to light.
It was achieved with the arrest of one of its members, Anthony Chima, as disclosed by the spokesperson. After the Uber driver Oghenevwarhe Barry Akpobome disappeared, it was revealed that a criminal operation was targeting Uber drivers in the state. This discovery was made public by a statement from Ms. Grace Iringe-Koko. Following an investigation into the missing person case, law enforcement officers of the state apprehended a 35-year-old man of the criminal gang named Anthony Chima.
There is a disturbing continuation of the violent acts of the gang.
Chima graduated from Ignatius Ajuru University with a degree in Political Science. During questioning, it was revealed that Chima had been enlisted by a gang that had a focus on tricking taxi drivers into traps and taking their cars, she explained. According to Ms. Iringe-Koko, the testimony of Mr. Chima revealed the disturbing continuation of the violent acts of the gang, which involved murdering drivers and carrying out an extraction of their body parts for Ritual use.
Also, the suspect claimed that his entry into the gang was facilitated by his friend, Amfoh Abu, who was responsible for supplying weapons to the group, along with another person known only as ‘Reason.’ She mentioned that upon deeper investigation, it was discovered that the gang’s leader, known as ‘General Effizy,’ is a well-known member of the Greenland cult and has extensive experience as a kidnapper within the state. The police spokesperson revealed that Mr. Chima admitted to obtaining the phone numbers of Uber drivers at random.
State Police have initiated a manhunt to apprehend other gang members.
Afterwards, Chima would deceive them by posing as a passenger in need of a ride. On January 10, 2024, she mentioned that Mr. Chima got in touch with Mr. Akpobome and instructed the driver to go to Reason’s house to pick him up. Chima pretended to be a passenger and tricked the unsuspecting Uber driver into going to a secluded spot in Aminigboko. There, he joined Reason, General Effizy, and a group of gang members with four arms.
Effizy’s shrine became the setting for a violent act as the driver was violently pulled out of the vehicle and brought inside. He was then restrained, silenced, and ultimately killed in a brutal manner. She mentioned that Chima eventually guided the police to the shrine and Effizy’s home, resulting in the recovery of the victim’s skull and a homemade Baretta pistol by the personnel. Ms. Iringe-Koko announced the initiation of a manhunt in order to apprehend the escaping gang members.
Uber drivers should be cautious when accepting fares.
She stressed that Chima would be held accountable through legal proceedings. In a recent statement, she mentioned that Tunji Disu, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, had urged Uber drivers to exercise caution when accepting fares in order to ensure their safety, especially in isolated or risky locations. According to the police spokesperson, the Akpobome incident highlights the risks that hide in the dark and stresses the significance of staying alert and working together with law enforcement authorities.