The Rivers State Police Command has dismissed circulating rumors on social media claiming that bags containing decapitated human parts were found in the Iwofe area, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. These false reports had sparked fear among residents in Port Harcourt and its surrounding areas.
On Thursday morning, news of the alleged discovery of human remains began spreading, creating panic and unrest. However, when local journalists arrived at the scene, they found that the police, alongside officials from the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), had already investigated the situation.
According to residents, the police and government officials had inspected the suspicious bags earlier in the day. To everyone’s relief, they discovered that the bags did not contain human remains as rumored. Instead, they were filled with poultry waste.
SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, confirmed the incident in an official statement. She explained that the police quickly responded to the alarming reports by coordinating with the state waste management agency. A team from RIWAMA, led by its sole administrator, Hon. Prince Ohia Obi, conducted an examination of the bags.
In her statement, Iringe-Koko said, “The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to news making the rounds, especially on social media, of bags containing decapitated human bodies dumped behind the Omega Power Ministries along Iwofe Road. The Police responded swiftly to the claims by contacting the Rivers State Waste Management Agency to jointly examine the bags. It was discovered that the bags did not contain any human parts. Rather, the bags were filled with poultry debris dumped by yet-to-be-identified individuals.”
The spokesperson further condemned the false rumors, attributing them to “mischief makers” whose goal was to incite fear and disturb public peace in the region. She urged the public to remain calm and assured residents that there was no cause for alarm. The waste found at the scene has since been cleared by RIWAMA and disposed of at one of the designated dumpsites in Port Harcourt.
“The Command frowns at such behavior and warns those rumor mongers to desist from it,” the statement read. “Rivers residents can go about their lawful business without fear as the alarm was false.”
Iringe-Koko also encouraged the public to be vigilant and use designated waste dumping sites to avoid confusion and the spread of misleading information in the future.
