The Rivers State Police Command has arrested three suspects allegedly involved in a string of tricycle robberies across parts of Port Harcourt, recovering a firearm and stolen tricycles during the operation.
The development was made public in a statement shared on Tuesday via the Command’s official X handle by its Public Relations Officer, CSP Grace Iringe-Koko.
According to the police, the case was first reported on March 19, 2026, by a tricycle operator, Sadiq Gara, who said he was robbed a day earlier in Elelenwo after picking up three passengers.
During the trip, one of the passengers reportedly pulled out a gun and forced him to surrender his tricycle.
The statement explained that operatives later tracked the suspects to a hideout in Igwuruta, leading to the arrest of Abdullahi Mohammed, 23, and Yusuf Umaru, 25.
A third suspect, Mohammed Usman, 28, believed to be a receiver of stolen items, was also arrested in connection with the case.
“The suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation,” the statement said.
Recovered items include a locally made pistol, two live cartridges, and two stolen tricycles.
The police added that another victim, Rosemary James, identified one of the suspects as a member of a gang that had previously robbed her of her tricycle.
Preliminary investigations suggest the suspects are part of a wider syndicate involved in tricycle theft across Elelenwo, Igwuruta, Tank, and Woji areas of Port Harcourt.
Authorities also revealed that the suspects admitted to transporting more than 20 stolen tricycles through a receiver to northern states such as Kano, Bauchi, and Adamawa.
“The suspects also admitted having delivered over twenty stolen tricycles to the receiver,” the statement added.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Olugbenga Adepoju, urged commercial tricycle operators to stay alert and report any suspicious activity.
He said, “Members of the public, particularly tricycle operators, should remain vigilant and avoid picking up suspicious passengers, especially at odd hours.”
The Command noted that investigations are still ongoing, with efforts in place to apprehend other members of the gang and recover additional stolen items.
