Rivers State Police Command said its operatives have arrested seven cultists linked to the murder of a lawyer, Bright Owhor, along Market Road in Rumuomasi in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
Owhor, a Port Harcourt-based lawyer, was gruesomely murdered on July 5, 2025, by persons the police described then as ‘unknown gunmen’.
The spokesperson for the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Iringe-Koko said it took the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit 10 days of discreet intelligence and technical surveillance to track the culprits and have them apprehended.
Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, said the suspects also owned up responsibility for the recent cult attacks in the Diobu area of Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The statement partly reads, “Following the tragic killing of Bright Owhor, 46 years, ‘m’, of No. 40c Market Road, Rumuomasi, Port Harcourt, by unidentified gunmen on July 6, 2025, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit were deployed to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“He was shot on 5/7/2025 at about 21:30hrs, rushed to the hospital and gave up the ghost at about 02:00hrs of 6/7/2025.
“Through meticulous intelligence work and technical surveillance over 10 days, all individuals involved in the crime were identified and apprehended.
“They (the suspects) include Prince Samuel, ‘m’, 30-year–old armed operative; Daniel Godwin, ‘m’, 25 years, driver of the getaway vehicle; and Henry Peter, ‘m’, 24 years, arms supplier, the one who shot the victim.”
Others, the statement revealed, are: Godfrey Emmanuel, ‘m’ a.k.a. Ibu, 30 years – gang leader; Chukwu Nneji, ‘m’, 34 years; Justice Dimkpa, ‘m’, 27 years and Promise Wikere, ‘m’, 22 years – handler of stolen vehicles.
“During an interrogation, the suspects confessed to being members of the Deygbam Secret Cult Group.
“They admitted to their roles in the murder, the withdrawal of funds from the victim’s bank account, and involvement in recent cult-related violence between BS and G12 Deygbam factions in Diobu, Port Harcourt,” it added.
The state police image maker listed the arms and other items recovered from the suspects to include one MTN SIM card, four locally made pistols, seven rounds of 9mm ammunition, two live cartridges, one mini bus and one Toyota Camry.
The state Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, according to the statement, commended the operational prowess of his men, which he said underscored the commitment of the command to the safety and security of all residents.
“These operations reflect a broader strategy to dismantle criminal networks and ensure public confidence in law enforcement”, CP Adepoju stated.
