Police Arrest Suspect- The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 31-year-old man, Kelechi Wufurum, over the alleged murder of a commercial bus driver whose vehicle was later sold for N2.4 million.
Police said the victim, identified as 51-year-old Ifeanyi Abobo, was allegedly lured to Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government Area under the guise of a transport job before he was attacked and killed.
The command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed the development on Tuesday while briefing journalists at the police headquarters on Moscow Road in Port Harcourt.
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According to the police, the suspect allegedly planned the attack and took the victim to a location near a forest in Ubima, where a confrontation reportedly broke out between the two men.
Iringe-Koko said the altercation later turned violent, with the suspect allegedly striking the driver before using a cutlass on him.
She said the victim collapsed at the scene, after which the suspect fled with the minibus and later disposed of both the vehicle and the victim’s mobile phone.
“He hit him on the head, and when the victim tried to resist, he used a cutlass and hit him on the head. The victim collapsed, so he now zoomed off with his mini-bus and sold the bus and his mobile phone,” she said.
The police spokesperson said operatives of the Special Operations and Intelligence Team launched an investigation immediately after the matter was reported.
She noted that a discreet operation led to the arrest of the suspect as well as other persons allegedly connected to the disposal of the stolen property.
“When the report came to the Command, the Police Special Operations and Intelligence Team swung into action. They did a discreet investigation and arrested the suspect. Those who purchased the victim’s vehicle and phone were also arrested,” Iringe-Koko added.
During the briefing, the suspect was said to have confessed to the crime and gave his own account of how the incident occurred.
According to Wufurum, he had arranged with the driver for what he described as a work-related trip before leading him to the location where the attack happened.
“I negotiated with a bus driver that we are going to work. When we got to the place, I used a stick to hit him to prevent him from attacking me. When he collected another stick to hit me, I now hit him and took his vehicle,” he said.
Further investigations reportedly led to the arrest of the buyer of the vehicle and another individual said to have helped facilitate the sale.
Those arrested include Azubuike Oyemechi, identified as a cousin to the suspect, who allegedly assisted in arranging the transaction, and Ugo Ikenna, said to be the buyer of the minibus.
Both men reportedly gave separate accounts of their involvement while speaking to journalists during the police briefing.
The case has sparked concern over rising incidents of violent crime and robbery-related killings in parts of Rivers State.
Police authorities said investigations are ongoing and that all suspects connected to the case would be charged accordingly.
