The devastating death of 34-year-old Horsefall Rowland has left his mother, Gloria George, in mourning after a harrowing ordeal that began as a kidnapping and ended in tragedy. Rowland was found dead along Queens/Kings Bakery Abuloma Road, Port Harcourt, despite his family’s desperate efforts to secure his release.
The Disappearance and Kidnapping
Rowland failed to return home on September 10, 2024, after informing his mother he was attending a meeting near Peter Odili Road and the Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Port Harcourt. Concerned, Gloria contacted him around 10 p.m., and Rowland reassured her he was on his way home. However, when he became unreachable overnight, her anxiety intensified.
At 5 a.m. the following morning, Rowland called in distress, informing his mother he had been kidnapped. The captors demanded an initial ransom of N30,000, which the family quickly paid. Despite complying, the kidnappers escalated their demands to N2.5 million before settling on N300,000.
“They sent voice notes and pictures to Roland’s girlfriend, threatening that if the money wasn’t sent quickly, we should consider him dead,” Gloria recounted to police. The ransom was paid, but communication ceased, and Rowland’s body was discovered soon after.
Arrests and Confession
Following an investigation by the Rivers State Police Command’s Special Operation and Intelligence Team, five suspects were arrested:
- Endurance Thompson, 23
- Boma Otonye, 41
- David Ishaku, 34
- Moses Benjamin, 29
- Emmanuel, 32
Prime suspect Endurance Thompson, apprehended at his Woji hideout, confessed to his involvement in Rowland’s death. According to Thompson, Rowland, a frequent customer, allegedly attempted to purchase hard drugs with a fake bank transfer on the night of the incident.
“I’ve known Roland since December 2023. He usually bought cocaine from me but had been using fake alerts to pay. That night, he tried it again, and I noticed my account balance hadn’t changed,” Thompson claimed.
Thompson alleged that Rowland was beaten by others present after the discovery of the fake transfer. Later, Rowland reportedly asked for medical assistance.
“I called Justice, who told me to bring him over. Roland died in the Keke Marwa (tricycle) on the way to Justice’s place. Justice and Michael later dumped his body near a bakery,” he added.
Police Response and Ongoing Investigation
Rivers State Police spokesperson SP Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed that Rowland’s body has been deposited at the morgue and that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other suspects linked to the case.
This tragic incident has sparked outrage, highlighting ongoing security and criminal justice challenges in the region. Authorities have vowed to ensure all perpetrators face justice.
