Police arrest suspect after Rivers woman killed in forest
Goodnews Iberi has been arrested by the Rivers State Police Command for the kidnapping and murder of Rita Eleonu. The incident occurred after Rita Eleonu was lured and abducted along the Emuoha axis of the East-West Road. Police say the victim’s family paid a ransom, but she was killed and buried in a forest. The authorities are continuing their investigation and searching for other suspects.
What happened
- Goodnews Iberi was arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Rita Eleonu, following a distress report on December 29, 2025.
- The suspect and his accomplices lured Rita Eleonu on December 13, 2025, kidnapped her, and later killed her after collecting a ₦210,000 ransom.
- Police operatives arrested Iberi on January 8, 2026, after a tip-off, and he confessed to the crime, leading officers to the burial site.
- The victim’s remains were recovered from the forest and deposited at the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital morgue for autopsy.
- The State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, praised the swift police action and urged the public to provide information to help apprehend the remaining suspects.
