Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested five suspects, including a domestic worker identified as Praise Sampson, in connection with a brazen 'one chance' operation that netted criminals over ₦4.6 million from a single victim's bank account. What began as a routine taxi ride ended in the unraveling of a sophisticated robbery syndicate terrorising Port Harcourt residents — and at the centre of it all was the 20-year-old house help who became both victim and suspect.
According to police, the scheme was set in motion on the evening of April 26, 2026, when Sampson — employed in the home of Port Harcourt resident Rosemary Vincent — was lured into boarding a taxi by two male accomplices. A statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Blessing Agabe, explained that once inside the vehicle, the suspects coerced her into surrendering two ATM cards belonging to her employer. The gang then made swift withdrawals, draining ₦4,607,199 from Vincent’s account before the alarm was raised.
Agabe said by 7:30 that evening, Vincent had reported the fraud to Divisional Police Station Choba. She added that the response was rapid. Acting on the directive of Commissioner of Police CP Olugbenga Adepoju, operatives launched a coordinated operation that culminated in the arrest of all five suspects linked to the crime.
Those in custody are: Praise Sampson (female, 20) of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA; Michael Chijioke (male, 36) of Abia State; Ndubuisi Jonah (male) of Abia State; Ehirim Ugonna (male, 38) of Imo State; and Okeke Chizoba Daniel (male, 40) of Imo State. Police said the suspects have been linked to a series of similar attacks across the Port Harcourt metropolis, suggesting the gang had perfected their method over multiple operations before their luck ran out.
The 'one chance' phenomenon — where unsuspecting commuters are lured into vehicles only to be robbed, coerced, or worse — has long plagued urban centres across Nigeria. This latest case highlights an alarming evolution of the tactic: the recruitment or coercion of domestic insiders to access victims’ financial assets.
CP Adepoju used the occasion to issue a stern public advisory, urging residents to avoid sharing ATM cards or PINs with anyone, exercise caution when boarding vehicles, and report suspicious activity to the police without delay. 'Stay vigilant and never share sensitive banking details,' the Commissioner warned.
