Slain DPO: Popular Rivers Monarch, over 50 others remanded in prison

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt and Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

The Paramount Ruler of Akoh kingdom in Ahoada East local government area of Rivers State, His Majesty, Dr. Cassidy Ikegbidi, Eze Igbu Akoh II, and over fifty other suspects were on Thursday remanded to the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre for alleged murder of a DPO in the state.

King Ikegbidi who was a former LGA Chairman of Ahoada East and over 50 other suspects earlier arraigned by the police before a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, were remanded in connection with the gruesome murder of a Superintendent of Police and DPO of Ahoada East Police Division, SP Bako Angbashim in September, 2023 at Odiemudie community in the area.

SP Bako Angbashim was murdered by cultists led by one Gift Okpara aka 2baba, with his head and private part cut off, during a raid on criminal hideouts in the community.

Our Correspondent reports that the defendants were charged with different offences ranging from murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, cultism, kidnapping among others.

When the case was mentioned in court, counsel to the first and other defendants, urged the court to grant bail to the defendants.

But, the acting O C legal and prosecuting counsel, SP Enyiyepere Sikpi opposed to the bail, noting that their offenses were too grievous for such oral order.

The trial judge, Justice Sika Henry Apirioku, in his ruling ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre.

The case was however, adjourned to November, 21st, 2023 for plea and bail consideration.

Speaking with Journalists outside the courtroom, the acting O C legal and prosecuting counsel, SP Enyiyepere Sikpi explained why he opposed to the oral bail application.

One of the counsels to the defendants, Sir Uchechukwu Igbegiri stated that, due to the nature of the charge, a proper bail application would be filed at the next adjourned date.

In another development, In its efforts to flush criminal elements out of the Federal Capital Territory most especially the armed hoodlums disturbing the peace of the residents of the territory who reside at the boundaries with Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi and Kaduna states the Police Command in the capital city have arrested and paraded criminals arrested by the Joint Task Force named Operation Safe FCT.

The Commissioner of Police CP Haruna Garba at a press briefing said that in line with the mandate of the operation, the JTF comprising of the NPF, Military, NSCDC and DTRS carried out coordinated raids of criminal hideouts, uncompleted buildings, shanties and of course clearance operations in the bushes and forest bordering the FCT.

He said that in the course of the operation, the team arrested one hundred and thirty five (135) suspects at various black spots located at; Kwali, Dutse Alhaji, Mpape, Karu, AYA, Nyaya, Karimo, Karshi, Kuje, Airport road, Berger Roundabout, Jabi, Orozo and Mararaba etc.

He also stated that out of these numbers, seventy- five (75) suspects were arraigned in court for various offences, while sixty five were sentenced to pay fine ranging from N5000 – N7000, the remaining ten were sentenced to community service.

The Police boss also hinted that the 39 suspects being paraded have been under interrogation and will be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation.

He informed that out of this number, eight (8) suspects are suspected to be members of one chance syndicate, as knives, handcuffs and swords were recovered from their vehicles with the following registration numbers;

According to him, a red Golf car with Reg No. ER 09 with ash coloured Nissan Almeira with Reg No. YAB 679 HG and a navy blue golf Car with no Number Plate were exhibits recovered form the suspects

Moreover, a white Mercedes GLK with Reg No. BWR 238 AY, a brown Mazda with Reg No. KWL 886 AX, A red Golf car with Reg No. BRN 1000 GWZ, a white coloured Carina E with Reg No. KW 196 MD and a white Salon car with Reg No. BSI 9719 Basa Plateau were also recovered by the Police

He further stated that in the course of the two weeks operation, fifty four (54) vehicles have been impounded adding that while a substantial number of the vehicles are without number plates, others with tinted glasses, others with only plate numbers in front while others has only plate numbers at the back.

He said that offending drivers and owners of these vehicles will soon be arraigned in court.

In addition, two (2) locally fabricated guns, one locally made berretta pistol, one revolver double barrel gun with two live cartridges were recovered.

Also recovered by the joint Task Force team are three (3) full bags of leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa and quite a number of wraps of Indian hemp and illicit drugs.

The Police boss said that the incidences of one chance, armed robbery and abduction have reduced significantly in the last two weeks in the FCT since the launch of the operation.

He equally reiterated the commitment of the Joint Task Force to aggressively flush out miscreants from the FCT.

The Senior Police Officer enjoins the good people of FCT to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the Police and other law enforcement agencies. Your cooperation is required if we must defeat crime and criminality.