File image: Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju
What began as an ordinary outing for 25-year-old Rita Eleonu ended in a forest along the East–West Road in Rivers State, where her young life was violently cut short after her family had already paid for her freedom.
Rita, a native of Rumuekini community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, was allegedly lured on December 13, 2025, by people she trusted to the Rumuakunde axis of Emohua. Unknown to her family, the invitation was a trap. Police say she was kidnapped by a gang led by 26-year-old Goodnews Iberi and taken into what locals describe as an “evil forest” along the Emohua stretch of the East–West Road.
Soon after her abduction, Rita’s family received a call demanding ransom. Desperate to save her, they reportedly raised and paid N210,000, believing she would be released. But their hopes were cruelly betrayed. According to the Rivers State Police Command, the suspects killed Rita shortly after collecting the money, allegedly for ritual purposes, and buried her in a shallow grave before disappearing.
Weeks later, the truth began to surface. Acting on a distress report filed on December 29, 2025, by a relative of the victim, operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit in Emohua launched an intelligence-led operation. In the early hours of January 8, 2026, they tracked down and arrested Iberi at his hideout.
During interrogation, police said the suspect confessed to his role in the crime and named four accomplices who are still at large. He reportedly led officers back to the forest where Rita’s decomposing remains were exhumed and taken to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital morgue for autopsy.
The Rivers State Police Command confirmed that both the suspect and the victim are from Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, a detail that has deepened the shock and grief surrounding the case.
Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, praised the officers involved for their swift and determined response, describing the arrest as a testament to effective policing. He appealed to the public to remain vigilant and to assist the police with credible information that could lead to the arrest of the remaining suspects, assuring residents that the identities of informants would be protected.
As investigations continue, Rita’s death stands as a painful reminder of the growing danger posed by kidnapping and ritual-related crimes, and the devastating cost borne by families who cling to hope, even after paying the price demanded for a loved one’s life.
