A joint operation by the military and the personnel of the Rivers State Police command have raided the camps used by suspected herdsmen, who allegedly abducted the Commander of OSPAC, a local vigilance group in IPO community in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
The suspects had disguised themselves as herders and abducted the OSPAC Commander a few days ago after they stormed farmlands in the area, fully armed, leading to the intervention of OSPAC members who were alerted to the development.
The OSPAC Commander was said to have been shot in the leg before being taken away by the suspects, who had opened fire on sighting the OSPAC vigilance team.
The spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Agabe Kaborlo Blessing, who confirmed the raid noted that the gun of the OSPAC commander was recovered.
“On 12th April, 2026, at about 1300 hours, Tactical Teams of the Command, in collaboration with sister security agencies including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, DSS and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), embarked on a coordinated operation to clear identified criminal camps suspected to be used as hideout for kidnapping and other criminal activities.
“During the operation, the joint security team identified the criminal hideouts at IPO and IGRITALE Camp. In the course of the operation, the following items were recovered: one (1) AK-47 rifle, one (1) pump-action gun, two hundred and seventy-four (274) rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, four (4) cartridges, native bulletproof materials, a large iron cutter, communication radios and other items.
“Preliminary findings indicate that the recovered pump-action gun is suspected to be owned by the leader of the local vigilante group called ( OSPAC) alleged to have been previously abducted.
“The criminal camps were successfully destroyed. However, one suspect was arrested within that vicinity and is still under investigation, while other suspects fled the scene before the arrival of security operatives.
“Investigation is ongoing with a view to apprehending the fleeing suspects and rescuing the kidnapped victim.
“The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, psc, mnips, reassures residents of its unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property and urges the public to continue to support security agencies with credible and timely information that would lead to the arrest of these criminal elements”.
