Police Rescue Woman From Mob Violence Over False Kidnapping Accusation in Rivers

Operatives from the Azikiwe Police Division in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have rescued a woman from an aggressive mob after she was falsely accused of abducting a 12-year-old girl.

The incident occurred along Owo Street in the Mile 2 area of Diobu, Port Harcourt, on Saturday, June 13.

According to eyewitnesses, the woman, identified as Maria Kobara, was stopped by a relative of the child’s father while walking with the young girl. Kobara explained that the child’s mother had authorized her to take the girl to a church on Eagle Island to help clean the building. Unconvinced by the explanation, the relative raised an alarm, quickly attracting an angry crowd that began physically assaulting Kobara before the family could formally verify the claim.

The timely intervention of a police patrol team prevented the crowd from lynching the woman. All parties involved were subsequently taken to the local police station for questioning.

At the station, the child’s mother arrived and completely exonerated Kobara, confirming that she had personally requested the woman to accompany her daughter to the church.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, strongly condemned the assault and warned residents against resorting to jungle justice and extrajudicial violence.

She emphasized that the police command will not tolerate mob action under any guise and stated that anyone caught participating in such unlawful acts will face the full weight of the law.