The Rivers State Police Command said its operatives had neutralised kidnap kingpin and notorious cult leader, identified as Nkem ThankGod, who allegedly killed four policemen, a couple and committed sundry other crimes.
The police said the 42-year-old murder suspect nicknamed 2man who hailed from Ogbologbolo Community, Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state was also fingered in the murder of a youth leader.
The Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Mohammed, disclosed this during a news briefing where he paraded the lifeless body of the miscreant at the command’s headquarters along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
While noting that his crimes ranged from murder, kidnap and attacking oil pipelines and government facilities, Mohammed said the criminal met his Waterloo following an intelligence-led operation while attempting to abduct a target with his gang in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state on Thursday afternoon.
The CP disclosed that the hoodlum had been on the wanted list of the police since 2021 for sundry crimes, including the murder of a man and his wife, saying he had been running from one place to the other to evade arrest.
He stated, “Men of the Rivers State Police Command have successfully neutralised a notorious kidnap kingpin and murder suspect, Nkem ThankGod, a.k.a. “2man,” aged 42, from Ogbologbolo Community, Ahoada West Local Government Area.
“This individual, a leader of the Greenlander Cult Group, had been responsible for a series of heinous crimes in Ahoada East and Ahoada West LGAs, including killing the youth president of Okogbe Community in Ahoada West LGA, Mr. Christmas Ede, on December 21, 2021.
“He is also responsible for multiple killings in 2024, including two policemen attached to the PMF 48, three civilians, (Mr and Mrs Rex Kiriki and Mrs. Abigail Victor), and a spare parts dealer after collecting ransom.
“He also murdered two Shell staff members in Okogbe, Ahoada West LGA and stole their Toyota Hilux.”
On attacks on the police personnel, the state police boss said, “2man shot SP Bello during a rescue operation in 2022 and killed two Rapid Response Team officers in early 2023.
“Kidnapping and carjacking a red Toyota Camry from Dare Shola in October 2024. Orchestrating several kidnappings and extorting ransoms before killing victims.
“He was involved in frequent vandalisation of oil pipelines and government installations in Ahoada West.
“Nkem ThankGod met his end during an intelligence-led operation while attempting another kidnapping. His gang members managed to escape with injuries, and efforts are underway to apprehend them,” the CP disclosed.
He listed the items recovered from him as two AK-47 rifles, five magazines and 22 rounds of live ammunition.
The CP reaffirmed the commitment of the command to protect the lives and property of people and residents of the state, pointing out that the police under his watch would make the state a living hell for criminal elements.
Mohammed however solicited the cooperation of the public to give useful information concerning suspicious activities in their neighbourhood for prompt action, saying the police would continue working to dismantle criminal networks.
