The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 26-year-old man, Goodnews Iberi, over the kidnapping and killing of Rita Special Eleonu, a 25-year-old woman.
Police said Iberi was arrested after investigations into Eleonu’s disappearance, which was reported by her brother on December 29, 2025. The victim was allegedly lured to the Rumuakunde area of Emohua Local Government Area on December 13, 2025, where she was kidnapped by the suspect and four accomplices still at large.
According to police spokesperson CSP Grace-Iringe Koko, the victim was later taken to a forest along the East-West Road in Emohua and killed after her family paid a ₦210,000 ransom.
Following his arrest on January 8, 2026, Iberi reportedly confessed and led police to the forest where the victim’s decomposing remains were recovered. The body has been deposited at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) morgue for autopsy.
Police say investigations are ongoing, with efforts intensified to arrest the remaining suspects.
