Rivers state Police Command  have successfully neutralized David Uzoma Kamalu, alias M-Kaze—a dreaded kidnap kingpin and prime suspect in multiple murders, including the gruesome beheading of a local security operative earlier this year.

The tactical operation, carried out in the early hours of Saturday, May 25, 2025, by officers of the Rumuji Division, stormed a suspected hideout in Rumuodogu 1 Community, Emohua Local Government Area. The mission followed days of intelligence-led surveillance targeting the gang\'s movements and hideouts.

According to a statement from the Rivers State Police Command, the operation turned violent when officers were met with fierce gunfire from the gang. In the ensuing firefight, M-Kaze was fatally shot, while several of his accomplices escaped with bullet wounds, prompting a manhunt now underway.

Exhibits recovered from the scene include:

A pump-action shotgun

Two live cartridges

Assorted local charms suspected to be used for spiritual protection and intimidation

M-Kaze had long been on the police radar and was declared wanted for masterminding a wave of high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies along the East-West Road corridor. He was also infamously linked to the murder and beheading of a popular local vigilante leader known as “Hunter Commander” in January 2025—a crime that horrified residents and spurred local government action, including placing a bounty on his head.

Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, described the neutralized suspect as a “high-value target” and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to restoring peace and dismantling terror cells across the state.

“This successful operation sends a strong message: there is no hiding place for those who terrorize our communities,” CP Adepoju said.

The police are now urging members of the public to be vigilant and to report anyone seen with gunshot wounds to the nearest security post, as efforts intensify to capture the remaining fleeing suspects.