Killing of Rivers DPO: Two gang members of most wanted cultist, 2Baba captured

 

.Police parade 92 crime suspects, recover arms in Enugu

 

By Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

 

 

Two members of the notorious Iceland Cult group led by one Gift David Okpara, aka 2Baba, responsible for the killing of SP Bako Angbashim, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Ahoada East in Rivers State have been captured.

 

The suspects (names withheld),  were arrested between Monday and Tuesday at Ahoada axis of the state.

 

The Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that one of the suspects was arrested on Monday at Edeoha Community in Ahoada East while he was about being lynched by angry mob.

 

Recalled that SP Bako Angbashim was killed two weeks ago when he lead his team to raid criminal hideouts in Odiemudie Forest, in Akoh kingdom, in Ahoada East LGA of the state.

 

The State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara reacting to the incident, declared the prime suspect, Gift David Okpara, aka 2Baba, wanted and slammed a N100m bounty on him and his members while the Rivers Police Command added N1m as a reward for whoever can provide credible information that would lead to thier arrest.

 

The Police Spokesperson, SP Iringe-Koko who stated that the cultists after killing the DPO, seized his body, said “Operatives of the command, acting on actionable information received the suspect has been captured, swung into action to rescue the suspect who was about to be burnt with a tyre on his neck.

 

She said, “He was rescued and  brought to the station where he made a useful statements. He was later transferred to SCID for discrete investigation with a view to apprehend the fleeing kingpin ,  his gang members, and to recover their operational weapons.”

 

The suspect, in a viral video on social media with hands bound behind him sitting inside a tyre as he was being interrogated by some policemen revealed that his gang leader, 2Baba is well fortified with charms by a witch doctor from the Ogoni axis of the State.

 

He said the wanted kingpin and their leader, 2Baba has over 40 assorted rifles, adding that he is well connected to some unnamed influential personalities in Ekpeye ethnic nation and Rivers State at large.

 

The arrested suspect also confirmed that 2Baba and members of the gang killed and dismembered the remains of the late DPO.

 

Our Correspondent reports that the PPRO did not comment on the second member of the gang, who was also captured and seen in a viral video on social media.

 

The suspect who gave his name as Chukwudi Okpara Lot while being interrogated by some policemen confessed that the DPO was buried in Odiemudie Forest.

 

Just last week, Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Olugbenga Adepoju, representing the Commissioner of Police, CP Nwonyi Polycarp Emeka, told an Ekpeye ethnic nationality group (Ahoada-East and Ahoada-West LGAs) that 2Baba and his gang will be arrested within two weeks.

. Police parade 92 crime suspects, recover arms

Enugu State Police Command has paraded 92 crime suspects arrested in different parts of the state for various offences, including murder, armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism.

Exhibits recovered from the suspects include four AK-47 rifles, 66 firearms of different calibres, 333 live ammunition of different calibres, 25 vehicles and other incriminating items.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, who paraded the suspects in Enugu on Tuesday, attributed the success recorded within one month of his assumption of duty in Enugu, to application of the right policing strategies.

The strategies, he said, were devised to tackle existing and emerging security challenges in the State.

According to him, the strategies were subsumed in his grassroots-driven, proactive, people-oriented and problem-solving policing thrust, which is in line with the policing vision and mission of the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

“I have met and interacted with critical security stakeholders, including local government chairmen, traditional rulers, heads of other security agencies and many others, on the best ways to collectively tackle security challenges in the State.

“These engagements, I must tell you, have started paying off as we are making remarkable progress in tackling violent crimes of kidnapping, armed robbery and the criminal activities of subversive criminals.

“It is a known fact that it is humanly impossible to totally eliminate crimes in human society. However, I want to assure the good people of Enugu State and visitors that we remain committed to ensuring that maximum security and tranquility are maintained in the State,” he said.

He described what he called negative insinuations on the security situations in Enugu State as false and unfounded, saying “that amount to making a mountain out of a molehill.

“I, therefore, make bold to say that the State remains peaceful and a safe haven for visitors and investors to come and meaningfully carry out their lawful businesses.”

Uzuegbu expressed gratitude to Gov. Peter Mbah, for the support and encouragement he had been giving him since his assumption of duty in August.

He stressed that the establishment of the Distress Response Squad (DRS) was one of the governor’s key operational supports to the Police in the state.

The Commissioner also urged the traditional rulers and parents to encourage their children and wards on behavioral change to desist from crimes