Slain DPO: IG orders Rivers cult leader’s arrest
Slain DPO: IG orders Rivers cult leader’s arrest
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has declared Gift Okpara, the prime suspect in the gruesome murder of a Divisional Police Officer in Rivers State, Bako Angbashim, wanted.
Angbashim, a Superintendent of Police was the DPO of Ahoada, who was ambushed, captured and decapitated by gunmen, who claimed to be members of Iceland cult gang.
The incident took place in Odumude community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state, while he (Angbashim) was returning from a raid of criminal hideouts along with some of his men.
The IGP’s declaration was contained in a post released by the Rivers State Police Command through the spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, on Wednesday for the Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, to implement the directive.
The release, which carried the picture of the miscreant (Okpara), listed his offences of Okpara as ‘conspiracy, cultism and murder’
It reads, “Force Directive CID No.48 refers to the bulletin and gives details of rewards for the arrest of this person.
“Issued by the Authority of the Inspector-General of Police, Gift David Okpara, (is declared) wanted by the office of the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command.
“Offences: Conspiracy, cultism and murder of SP Bako Angbashim. If seen, arrest and hand over to the nearest police station or to the Office of the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State.”
The statement, which gave dedicated mobile telephone numbers, added, “Handsome reward awaits any person(s) with information leading to his arrest.”
Recall that the State police boss, Nwonyi, at an event in Port Harcourt on Monday revealed that SP Angbashim, played into the hands of his killers.
Nwonyi said the cultists had sold a dummy to the late Police Superintendent that they were ready to surrender their arms for them to be granted amnesty in return.
He disclosed this during a solidarity protest by a human rights activist, Charles Jaja, at the headquarters of the state Police Command in Port Harcourt.
Nwonyi said it was regrettable that the gallant police officer trusted the miscreants, only to realise their deceit in death, but declared that by that act, they (cultists) had touched the Lion’s tail’.
He stated, “What pains me most was the idea of him (Angbashim) believing, as he kept saying that these people said they were ready to surrender their guns and come out for amnesty.
“He played to the gallery, only to know in death that these people were rather crafty in their operation and lured him for an onslaught.”
Earlier, the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, had announced a bounty of N100m for anybody who would give information that would lead to the arrest of the leader of the killer gang, Gift Okpara, and his members.
Credit: Punch Newspaper
