The Rivers State Police Command said its operatives foiled a robbery attempt at Igbo Etche Junction, in Etche Local Government Area of the state, recovering several arms and ammunition.
The command said it also dislodged the suspects before they could execute the robbery, adding that several motorcycles planned to be used for the operation were recovered from the scene.
This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Wednesday by the command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko.
She revealed that operatives of the HAWK Tactical Team received a distress call on May 15, 2025, at about 6:40pm, reporting that armed men were attacking passersby at the busy junction, and quickly swung into action.
The statement read in part, “Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command, attached to the HAWK Tactical Team, received a distress call on the 15th of May, 2025, at about 1840 hours, reporting that a group of armed hoodlums, wielding firearms, cutlasses, and other weapons, had blocked the Igbo Etche Junction and were actively robbing unsuspecting members of the public of their personal belongings.
“Upon receiving the call, operatives of the HAWK Decoy Team swiftly mobilised and responded to the scene. On sighting the police, the hoodlums fled into the nearby bush, abandoning some of their operational items during a hot pursuit.”
Continuing, the spokesperson confirmed that the suspects managed to escape into the forest, but assured all that efforts are ongoing to apprehend them.
“The hoodlums escaped into the forest. However, the recovered items have been secured as exhibits.
“Investigation is currently ongoing. Efforts are being intensified to apprehend the fleeing members of the notorious robbery syndicate, recover additional operational weapons, and gather further intelligence on their activities. Further updates will be communicated”, she noted.
According to the statement, the items recovered at the scene include, two operational motorcycles: one black Opel Sum motorcycle (without registration number); one black Quilink motorcycle (without registration number); One firearm; one European high-quality Emerald 12-gauge pump-action rifle ammunition: two live AAA cartridges and one expended AAA cartridge.
