By Eric Moore
RIVERS State Police Command has nabbed five suspected cultists for for their involvement in kidnapping and killing a 34-year-old man, Rowland Horsfall.
It was gathered that the suspects had accused him of generating a fake alert for hard drugs purchased from them in the Trans-Amadi area of Port Harcourt.
State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police (SP), made the disclosure in a statement on Tuesday, and identified the suspects as members of Iceland cult group who extorted ransom from the victim’s mother after they had killed him.
In the statement, Iringe-Koko revealed that the cultists initially demanded a ransom of N2.5 million from Horsfall’s mother, who unknowingly transferred N300,000 to her son’s account, not knowing that he had already been killed.
Horsfall’s mother, who suspected her son might be in danger, however, reported the matter to the police.
The PPRO stated: “On the 1st of November, 2024, at about 1410hrs, the Rivers State Police Command received a distressing report from one Gloria Iyenemi George ‘f’ of Peace Valley Estate Woji Port-Harcourt, suggesting that on the 10th of September, 2024, at about 1530hrs, her son named Rowland Speech Horsefall ‘m’ aged 34 years left home to attend meetings in Dr Peter Odili Road and GRA Port Harcourt respectively.
“She (Horsfall’s mother) further informed the Police that at about 2100hrs, she called the son to know his location and he informed her that he was heading back home.
“Shortly after that, all subsequent attempts made to reach him were unsuccessful until about 0505hrs of 11th September, 2024, when the son called again and informed her that he was being held hostage and his phone seized and demanded that he should pay a ransom of N300,000.00 before he could have his phone back.
“After a while, the son called again and demanded the sum of N2,500,000.00, from her as instructed by his abductors, but she sent him N300,000.00.
“The supposedly abductors sent to the victim’s girlfriend, pictures and voice notes threatening to kill him if they do not receive the N300,000.00 in a reasonable time and eventually, she sent the N300,000.00 into the victim’s bank account to secure his release. Yet, the victim remained in captivity.”
According to the PPRO, “Upon receipt of this complaint, operatives of the Command swung into action at about 1300hrs of 3rd November, 2024 and arrested the prime suspect, one Endurance Friday Thompson ‘m’ in his hideout at Woji town.”
She continued: “Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed that on the 11th of September, 2024 and at about 0300hrs, he met the victim behind the Port Harcourt Zoo, Trans-Amadi, where he and his gang members held him captive and demanded for ransom. And the victim’s family inability to pay the ransom made him and his gang to beat the victim to death and dumped his remains along Queens/Kings Bakery, Abuloma road, Port Harcourt. But, later, the corpse was recovered by the Police and deposited at the Mortuary.”
Other arrested suspects include, Boma Otonye a.k.a. Excess Chief (41), David Link Ishaku a.k.a. Biggy (34), Moses Nsikak Benjamin a.k.a. Aboy (29) and Emmanuel Aniete (32).
She disclosed that the suspects reportedly confessed to the crime, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang.
“Investigation is ongoing, efforts are intensified to apprehend other fleeing suspects and they will face charges upon completion of the investigation, accordingly.”