The Rivers State Police Command has arrested two suspected members of a notorious one-chance robbery syndicate following an operation that foiled an alleged robbery in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

Police said the suspects are believed to be part of a gang that has been terrorising unsuspecting commuters in different parts of the state.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred after a woman boarded a commercial minibus in the Rumuosi area, unaware that the vehicle was allegedly being operated by members of a one-chance gang.

The witness said the victim soon realised she was in danger and began shouting while attempting to escape from the vehicle, but the suspects allegedly restrained her.

“Her screams and the struggle inside the vehicle attracted the attention of passers-by, who immediately chased after the bus. The driver became trapped after missing his way, and angry residents descended on the suspects before the police arrived,” the eyewitness said.

The source added that police officers intervened to prevent the suspects from being lynched by the mob before taking them into custody.

Confirming the development in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police Blessing Agabe, described the arrests as another significant breakthrough in the command’s ongoing campaign against one-chance operators.

According to the statement, the operation was carried out on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju.

The suspects were identified as Uche Samuel, 45, from Omunato Local Government Area of Imo State, and Nkechi Amadi, 42, from Nekede in Imo State.

Police said preliminary investigations revealed that both suspects admitted to participating in the crime, while efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the syndicate still at large.

“The Rivers State Police Command has recorded another major breakthrough in its sustained crackdown on one-chance syndicates with the arrest of two suspected members of a notorious one-chance gang operating within the state,” the statement read.

Reacting to the arrests, Commissioner Adepoju reiterated the command’s determination to rid the state of one-chance operators and other violent criminals.

He warned that criminal gangs would find no refuge in Rivers State, stressing that the command would continue to deploy intelligence-led policing and proactive operations to identify, arrest and prosecute offenders.

The commissioner also reassured residents of the police’s commitment to protecting lives and property, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information that would assist security agencies in preventing crime and apprehending suspects.