The Rivers State Police Command has reported that its agents have apprehended a suspected kidnapper and cultist, Gbarani Bume, in the Luawii Community of Khana LGA.
Bume, also known as Pelele, was a member of the infamous Iceland cult group that terrorised the Beree/Tabaa axis of Khana LGA with his gang.
Grace Iringe-Koko, spokesperson for the State Police Command, confirmed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
According to Iringe-Koko, Pelele and his crew attempted to kidnap a site engineer working in Luawii before being apprehended by police on a tip-off.
When the suspects saw the police, they opened fire, but Pelele was mortally injured during a heated exchange of gunfire and eventually died.
The statement reads: “The Rivers State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in its efforts to combat crime, neutralising a notorious cultist and kidnapper, Gbarani Bume, a.k.a. Pelele, a native of Bere Community in Khana LGA.
“He was a member of the Iceland Cult Group, which has been terrorising the Beree/Tabaa axis of Khana LGA.
“On the 15th of November 2024, operatives from the Bori Division, acting on a tip-off, were mobilised to Luawii Community, where Pelele and his gang were attempting to kidnap a site engineer.
“Upon sighting the operatives, the hoodlums opened fire, resulting in a fierce crossfire, during which Pelele was fatally wounded. His accomplices escaped with various degrees of bullet wounds.
“Items recovered from the suspect include one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, and 10 rounds of live ammunition.”
“An investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to apprehend the other fleeing gang members and bring them to justice,” she added.
The state police spokeswoman remarked that this operation demonstrates the Command’s commitment to combating crime and safeguarding public safety in the state.
