The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested George Idumangi, the alleged mastermind behind the abduction and murder of 42-year-old estate agent, Richard Ekpebu, whose body was discovered on July 24, 2025, dumped in a bush along the new Otuoke Road near Bayelsa Palm.
Idumangi, who hails from Ogbia Local Government Area and claims to be a member of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), was tracked down in Lagos after weeks on the run. He was apprehended while attempting to obtain an international passport at the immigration office in a bid to flee the country.
The arrest followed petitions by Ekpebu’s family over alleged delays in investigation, prompting the State Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, to assign the case to the tactical unit of Operation Puff Adder, led by CSP Chris Nwaogbo. The manhunt took officers across several parts of Lagos, including Lekki, Ikorodu, Festac, Ikeja, and Orile, before they finally cornered the suspect.
During the operation, police recovered items linked to Idumangi, including two phones allegedly used during the crime and a T-shirt inscribed with “IYC Tactical Team.” Within eight days, CSP Nwaogbo’s team also arrested his girlfriend, 23-year-old Victory Benard Henry, in Yenagoa. From her custody, police seized a pump-action gun, live cartridges, AK-47 magazines, walkie-talkies, chargers, and rifle slings.
Investigations revealed that the crime stemmed from a fraudulent land deal. Henry had initially contacted the victim with claims of land for sale, which Ekpebu then linked to a potential buyer. The buyer transferred nine million naira directly into Idumangi’s account, while Henry reportedly received one million naira as her share. When the buyer later demanded documents, Ekpebu distanced himself from the deal, insisting he had no role in the transaction.
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According to police sources, Idumangi and his accomplice, identified as Biggy, lured Ekpebu out of his home, abducted him, and killed him to cover up their fraud. Investigations further revealed that the same parcel of land had earlier been sold to the Chief Security Officer of former President Goodluck Jonathan before being resold in the scam.
Confirming the arrest, Commissioner Idu commended the operatives for their swift action. “After painstaking intelligence and enforcement measures, George Idumangi, who murdered Mr. Richard Ekpebu, was arrested this morning in Lagos while trying to escape the country. This is real policing, and I thank the people of Bayelsa and the Prosperity Government for their support,” he said.
The case has stirred outrage in Bayelsa, highlighting the dangers faced by estate agents in fraudulent land transactions and the lengths criminals will go to silence their victims.
