The Rivers State Police Command has arrested 23-year-old Mr. Brown Otu and seven others in connection with a violent inter-cult clash between two rival factions in Diobu, Port Harcourt.
Others arrested include 43-year-old Diepreye Gogo-Abite, 30-year-old Godsfollow Monday, 28-year-old Ifeanyi Sampson, 43-year-old Dieseyi Ukulu, 31-year-old Chukwuemeka Dike, 28-year-old Gift Emmanuel, and 24-year-old Friday Godwin.
In a statement on Thursday, November 13, 2025, the Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed that officers recovered a Scorpion VZ61 submachine gun, a fabricated English-made Beretta pistol, 20 rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition, two rounds of 9mm live ammunition, and a pair of sunglasses during the operation.
According to the statement, the weapons were found hidden in a black bag at the residence of one of the suspects, Dieseyi Ukulu, following his confession.
Iringe-Koko explained that the arrests were part of ongoing efforts to dismantle two deadly factions; Blood Suckers (BS) and D12 — of the notorious Deygbam cult group, whose violent clashes in May 2025 claimed several lives and caused widespread fear across the Diobu community.
She said, “The Rivers State Police command has made significant progress in investigating and combating organized crime following a series of targeted operations aimed at curbing the inter-rival cult clashes between the Blood Suckers and D12 groups in Diobu.”
She added that the police neutralized key suspects, recovered several illegal firearms, and restored peace to the area.
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The statement also revealed that one of the gang’s alleged top members, Chidiebere Nwaiwu, a.k.a Daddy, who served as the group’s chief armourer and was involved in gunrunning, was arrested on August 26, 2025. He reportedly died the next day after falling ill while in custody, and his remains have been deposited in the mortuary for autopsy.
Before his arrest, Nwaiwu had allegedly planned an ambush on police operatives assigned to the Rumuosi/Rumuagholu area over a land dispute, in collaboration with Michael Ejike (a.k.a Effizy) and Clinton Anwusor.
Ejike was later arrested on September 16, 2025, in Imo State after going into hiding. During interrogation, he confessed to retrieving weapons from Nwaiwu’s home on the orders of Ugochukwu Ukeagbu, a.k.a Ugo King, the leader of the Blood Suckers cult.
Police said efforts are ongoing to recover additional arms and dismantle other networks associated with the group.
The command also clarified that its earlier silence on the case was a tactical measure to prevent escalation and apprehend other accomplices. All suspects are currently facing prosecution, while investigations continue for others yet to be arrested.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga A. Adepoju, commended the professionalism and courage of the operatives involved in the operation, urging them to sustain their commitment to the fight against crime in all its forms.
“These arrests have restored peace to Diobu and the state at large,” Adepoju said, while also thanking residents for their cooperation and urging them to remain vigilant.
