The Rivers State Police Command has dismantled a sprawling interstate car snatching syndicate, arresting 12 suspects and recovering 22 stolen vehicles in a major breakthrough against organized vehicle theft in Nigeria.

According to a statement released on Wednesday by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the operation was carried out by the Command’s C4i Strikeforce/Octopus team, following a report lodged in September 2024 by Mr. Enoch Daniel, whose Toyota Hiace bus was stolen at Trailer Park, Onne.

Two initial suspects, John Amadi (40) and Nna Goodluck (45)—both ex-convicts—were apprehended and confessed to snatching the bus using hammers under the directive of one Godspower Okpa, for which they were paid ₦90,000 each.

Further investigations led to arrests in Obibo, Kano, and Akwa Ibom, unveiling a wider criminal network. Among those arrested were:

●Yakubu Abdullah (35) – caught during a vehicle pickup in Obibo

●Abdulkareem Saminu (35) – apprehended with two stolen vehicles

●Adamu Musa – a dismissed police officer found in possession of 11 vehicles

●Onyekachi Igwe (53) – ex-convict and Port Harcourt liaison, who confessed to earning ₦5 million in 8 months

●Ikechukwu Joseph (35) and Michael Emerenwa (40) – auto-electricians who modified stolen vehicles for export

●Elijah Nwauwa Sunday (45) – a self-styled pastor from Imo State who acted as the syndicate’s broker at the Mgbuka-Obosi car scrap market in Onitsha

●Samuel Ejigbo (39) – field operator and ex-convict from Kogi

●Umar Jabbo (25) – caught attempting to buy a stolen Toyota Camry

Investigations revealed that the syndicate is coordinated by Falco Ibrahim, now at large, whose criminal web spans Rivers, Anambra, Taraba, Enugu, Borno, Kano, Delta, and Akwa Ibom States. Vehicles were trafficked via his agent, Shehu Shagari (now in custody), and sold in Cameroon, either in whole or dismantled parts.

The police have vowed to charge all suspects upon completion of investigations, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fugitive ringleader and other accomplices.

“These arrests underscore our resolve to make Rivers State hostile to criminal syndicates,” said SP Iringe-Koko. “We urge the public to remain vigilant and support the police with credible information.”

The Command reaffirmed its commitment to public safety, noting that the success of the operation demonstrates a broader law enforcement strategy aimed at dismantling organized crime networks and restoring public confidence in policing.