A 13-year-old girl who went missing on June 5, 2025, in the Umuebule community of Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State, has been rescued by officers of the state police command. She had left home around 3:30 p.m. to run an errand for her mother but did not return. Her mother later reported to the police that she received a threatening phone call demanding ₦2 million in ransom, with a warning that the child would be killed if the demand was not met.
In response, the Rivers State Police Command’s C4i Intelligence Unit launched an immediate investigation. Their efforts led to the arrest of a 24-year-old woman in Igbo-Etche, identified as the alleged subscriber of the SIM cards used in the ransom call. She claimed her phone was stolen on the same day the girl went missing.
Following up on leads, officers arrested a 36-year-old man named Chizoba Andrew Obi on June 10, 2025. He was found to be the main suspect in the case. The missing girl was discovered unhurt in a fenced forest area in Umuechem community, also in Etche LGA.
According to SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the police spokesperson, a locally made pistol and a live cartridge were recovered from the hideout. During interrogation, Obi confessed to being part of a four-man kidnapping gang. He agreed to lead officers to a forest where their weapons were hidden.
As the team approached the location, the gang members opened fire. A shootout followed. Obi, who tried to escape during the crossfire, was shot and later confirmed dead at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. His body has been deposited at the mortuary for an autopsy. Other gang members managed to flee, likely with injuries.
The rescued girl has been debriefed and reunited with her family. Police investigations are still ongoing, with active efforts to track down the remaining suspects and recover additional weapons used by the group.
