Operatives of the Nkpolu Police Division of the Rivers State Police Command on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, rescued one Uchechukwu Ebuka, an alleged accomplice in a fraud scheme, from a mob attack at Bishop Okoye Street Market, Mile 3, Diobu, Port Harcourt.
The incident reportedly led to the loss of three bags of rice belonging to a trader identified simply as Chinedu.
An eyewitness, Nwobueze Tasie, told our correspondent that two men had approached the trader requesting to purchase three bags of rice. According to him, the trader brought out the items, after which one of the men volunteered to take the bags away, promising to return shortly with payment, while his associate remained behind.
Tasie explained that suspicion arose when the second man attempted to quietly leave the shop. The trader reportedly apprehended him and raised an alarm, attracting members of the public.
“While he was being held, some people attempted to beat him, but officers from the Mile 3 (Nkpolu) Police Division intervened, rescued him, and took him to the police station,” Tasie said.
He cautioned against mob action, urging members of the public to always hand over suspects to law enforcement authorities.
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Another source at the market disclosed that the suspect claimed he met the man who brought him to the shop for the first time earlier that day in Eleme. According to the source, the unidentified man invited him to accompany him to the market to purchase rice.
The source added that but for the timely intervention of the police, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Nkpolu Division, the suspect might have been severely assaulted by the mob.
Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Agabe Karibo Blessing, reiterated the Command’s warning against mob attacks and jungle justice.
She urged residents to desist from taking the law into their own hands, stressing that such acts are unlawful and will not be tolerated.
The police spokesperson further warned that anyone found engaging in mob action would be made to face the full weight of the law.
