Police recover kidnap victim’s corpse, arrest suspect in Rivers

Police operatives in Rivers State have arrested a 26-year-old man, Goodnews Iberi, in connection with the kidnapping and killing of Rita Special Eleonu, a 25-year-old woman.

Iberi, a native of Rumuakunde Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, was arrested following investigations into the disappearance of Eleonu, who hails from Rumuekini Community in Obio Akpor Local Government Area.

Operatives also recovered the victim’s decomposing remains from a forest and deposited the corpse at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) morgue for autopsy.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, CSP Grace-Iringe Koko, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

She said the arrest followed a distress report filed on December 29, 2025, by the victim’s brother, adding that investigations revealed that the suspect and four accomplices, who are currently at large, lured the victim to the Rumuakunde axis of Emohua on December 13, 2025, where she was kidnapped.

According to the police, the victim was later taken to a forest along the East-West Road in Emohua, where she was killed after the suspects collected a ransom of N210,000 from her family.

Iringe Koko said, “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, at about 6.30am at his hideout.

“During preliminary interrogation, the suspect voluntarily confessed to the crime, highlighting his role and further incriminating four other accomplices.

“The suspect led police operatives to the location where the victim’s decomposing remains were recovered from the forest and deposited at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) morgue for autopsy.

“The suspect is currently in police custody, and an in-depth investigation has been launched, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of his syndicate.”

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