The Rivers State Police Command has apprehended 13 individuals, including four soldiers and an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on charges of robbery.
The suspects are accused of hijacking food trucks and diverting them to undisclosed locations.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the command, revealed this development in a statement on Monday.
She explained that the arrests were the result of a thorough investigation initiated after a burglary was reported at a private warehouse in the Elimgbu community of Ohio/Akpor Local Government Area.
The initial suspects taken into custody included a Nigerian Army corporal stationed in Delta State and an NSCDC officer serving in Kabba, Kogi State.
Preliminary investigations indicated that these security personnel frequently abandoned their official duties to partake in criminal activities within Rivers State.
Further probing uncovered a broader criminal network involved in hijacking trucks carrying various goods, such as fertilizers, imported clothing, and POP cement.
The police successfully recovered stolen items and a white Toyota Hilux, which was used by the gang in their operations.
Iringe-Koko emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being made to bring all individuals involved in the criminal activities to justice.
