Expatriate Drowns While Escaping Kidnappers in Rivers

A yet-to-be-identified expatriate has tragically drowned in Aleto River after the vehicle in which he was being driven fell off the Aleto Bridge along the East-West Road in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

LEADERSHIP learned that the incident occurred on Monday evening when the driver, in an attempt to evade an attack by suspected kidnappers on their convoy, lost control of the vehicle while crossing the bridge.

As of the latest update, professional divers and marine police were at the scene working to recover the vehicle and search for any other potential victims. Emergency response teams, including officials from the Rivers State Emergency Management Agency, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Police, have been working together to conduct rescue operations.

At the time of filing this report, the Rivers State Police Command had not yet issued an official statement on the incident. However, the State’s Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, has reportedly visited the scene.

The exact circumstances surrounding the kidnapping attempt and the tragic drowning remain under investigation.