Rivers police murder arrest suspect as officers recover body of victim in Etche killing and intensify search for other suspects
The Rivers State Police Command, on Wednesday, March 19, 2026, in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria, arrested Mr Robinson Uche, a 29-year-old suspect, in connection with the alleged murder of Mr Shedrack Ogadinma Chukwem, aged 42, in what authorities have described as a Rivers police murder arrest suspect breakthrough in an ongoing homicide investigation.
According to the police, operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit, Emuohia Annex, apprehended the suspect in Etche on March 6, 2026, following sustained intelligence-led investigative efforts into the killing that reportedly occurred on December 17, 2025.
Investigators say the suspect confessed to participating in the attack alongside four other individuals allegedly hired by a man identified as Chief Elijah Okere, with the intention of abducting the victim to his residence.
However, the operation reportedly escalated violently, resulting in the victim being shot dead during the encounter.
Police further disclosed that the suspects later transported the body and buried it in a shallow grave in a bush area at Ekerre-Ugbor, in an attempt to conceal the crime.
The suspect is said to have later led operatives to the burial site, where the remains of the deceased were recovered and subsequently deposited at a military hospital mortuary for autopsy.
The Rivers State Police Command confirmed that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects who are currently at large.
Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the development, stating that the suspect’s confession was instrumental in locating the burial site and recovering the victim’s remains.
Reassuring residents, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Mr Olugbenga Adewole Adepoju, said the command remains committed to ensuring that all individuals involved in the crime are brought to justice.
He added that the investigation would be pursued thoroughly to guarantee accountability and restore public confidence in the state’s security architecture.
