Rivers Woman Rescued From Mob After Being Mistaken for Child Kidnapper

Rivers Woman Rescued After Being Mistaken for Child Kidnapper
Mother’s Permission Revealed
The police condemned the incident, describing it as a clear example of the dangers of jungle justice

A woman, Maria Kobara, narrowly escaped death in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, after she was attacked by an angry mob that wrongly accused her of attempting to kidnap a child.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the incident happened on Saturday at Owo Street, Mile 2, Diobu, where residents descended on her after she was seen with a 12-year-old girl.

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She was later rescued by operatives of the Azikiwe Police Division.

However, investigations showed that the allegation was completely false. The child’s mother had actually given Kobara permission to take her daughter to a church branch on Eagle Island.

Eyewitnesses said the situation escalated quickly after a woman stopped Kobara and began questioning her relationship with the child.

Despite repeated explanations that she had the mother’s consent, the misunderstanding spread rapidly and drew a crowd.

Before the matter could be properly clarified, some residents began attacking her, accusing her of being a child trafficker.

“It all happened very fast,” said a witness, Nelson Ogiriya. “People refused to listen and just concluded she was a child thief. They started beating her before the police arrived.”

Police

Police spokesperson, ASP Agabe Karbolo Blessing, confirmed that officers intervened just in time to rescue Kobara from the mob.

She explained that the panic was triggered after a relative of the girl’s father raised an alarm, which quickly attracted residents who joined in the attack without verifying the facts.

According to her, the child’s mother later confirmed at the police station that she had indeed asked Kobara to escort her daughter to church.

The police condemned the incident, describing it as a clear example of the dangers of jungle justice.

Authorities warned residents to always report suspected crimes to security agencies rather than take the law into their own hands, stressing that mob action often puts innocent lives at risk.