Police In Rivers Detain Four Officers Over Kidnap Of Hotel Staff

Police In Rivers Detain Four Officers Over Kidnap Of Hotel Staff

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the detention of four of its personnel over allegations of kidnapping a staff member from a Port Harcourt hotel and demanding a N1 million ransom from the victim’s family.

Additionally, the command presented 12 individuals suspected of armed robbery, kidnapping, and cult-related activities in various parts of the state.

According to reports, the police officers intercepted Darlington Bieh from Taabaa in Khana local council while he was around Choba in the Obio/Akpor area. Subsequently, they took him to an undisclosed location and demanded ransom.

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The incident occurred around 8:00 p.m. on a Saturday as Bieh was on his way to work. Despite searching his belongings, pockets, and phone without finding anything incriminating, the police discovered pictures on his phone indicating his employment at a prominent hotel in the vicinity.

Allegedly, the officers instructed Bieh to request a N1 million ransom from his family, threatening to harm him and dispose of his body in the Choba River if their demands were not met. The police then transported the victim to Aluu community in Ikwerre local council, where they awaited the ransom payment.

Unexpectedly, Bieh contacted his boss—the hotel owner—rather than his family. The hotel owner, in turn, reached out to a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) who posed as the victim’s father. Negotiations for the ransom took place between the officers and the DPO through Bieh’s phone. Around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, the DPO and his team apprehended the rogue officers at the specified location in Aluu.

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During his inaugural press briefing in Port Harcourt, Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu disclosed that officers in contact with the victim had been arrested. He asserted that he learned about the incident through social media and promptly took action.

“They have been arrested. I am waiting for a complaint from the victim, so that I will know what and what to look out for. The officers are in custody. We are not hiding anything. When the complaint comes, we will give you details of what we have done. If I don’t get complaints from members of the public on this, I will believe everything is okay. All of us are in this together,” Disu said.