A 26-year-old man has been taken into police custody in Rivers State following a gruesome sequence of events that led to the abduction and murder of a young woman, whose remains were discarded in a forest.
The suspect, identified as Goodnews Iberi, allegedly orchestrated the plot after seeing the victim’s photo on his own sister’s social media handle.
The victim, 25-year-old Rita Eleonu, had recently celebrated her birthday. Her friend, Blessing, had posted Rita’s picture on her WhatsApp status to mark the occasion. Upon seeing the post, Iberi reportedly pressured his sister to invite Rita on a date—an invitation that would prove fatal.
Investigations revealed that when Rita arrived for the meeting in Emohua Local Government Area, she was seized by Iberi and his accomplices. To cover his tracks, the suspect initially lied to his sister, claiming Rita had simply failed to show up.
In a chilling twist, the suspect proceeded to extort the victim’s family even after she had been killed.
The Rivers State Police Command, through Public Relations Officer Grace Iringe-Koko, detailed the timeline of the investigation: “The Rivers State Police Command in a bold and coordinated operation, has arrested one Goodnews Iberi, a 26-year-old native of Rumuakunde Community in Emohua LGA, in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Rita Eleonu, a 25-year-old female from Rumuekini Community in Obio Akpor LGA, following a distress report on December 29, 2025, by the victim’s brother.”
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According to police reports, the crime took place along the volatile East-West Road corridor. Despite the family’s efforts to secure her release by paying a partial sum, the kidnappers showed no mercy.
“Recalled that on December 13, 2025, the suspect and four of his accomplices, now at large, lured Rita to Rumuakunde axis in Emohua LGA, where she was kidnapped and later taken to an evil forest along the East/West Road in Emohua. The suspects after collecting the sum of N210,000 ransom from the victim’s family still killed her.”
The breakthrough in the case came after weeks of intelligence gathering. Operatives eventually tracked Iberi to his place of concealment in the early hours of the morning.
“Acting on this distressing, but credible piece of information, Operatives of the Command attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit (ACU) Emohua annex, utilising intelligence-led Policing, arrested Iberi on January 8, 2026, about 0630hrs in his hide out.”
The police confirmed that Rita’s body was found decapitated and has since been moved to a mortuary. While Iberi is currently in the net, a manhunt continues for his four accomplices who remain at large.
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