Two weeks had passed since suspected cultists had kidnapped and murdered Bako Angbashim, the Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada in Rivers State, and the police had neither located his body or detained Gift Okpara, the main suspect.
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Remember that on September 8, 2023, Angbashim, a Superintendent of Police, and his men were conducting raids on criminal hideouts in the Odemude community, Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state, when they were ambushed and fired at by a feared cult led by Okpara. Eventually, they captured Angbashim, severed his head, and recorded their actions on camera.
However, after the event, the State Police Command, led by Commissioner of Police Emeka Nwonyi, has unsuccessfully attempted to locate the late DPO’s remains and apprehend the perpetrators.
During the final attempt, Nwonyi told reporters last week in Port Harcourt that operatives shot and killed four of Okpara’s men during a gunfight with police officers who were conducting a search for the body of the late Angbashim in the Odemude community.
Nwonyi added that investigations were still ongoing into the deaths of the DPO and some of the detained suspects.
While speaking to a group of demonstrators from Ekpeye Kingdom last Friday, Ade Adepoju, the deputy commissioner of police for operations at Rivers State Command, promised that Angbashim’s murders will be apprehended in a fortnight.
The demonstrators demanded that the leadership make sure the DPO’s killers are found and brought to justice, expressing shock at the brutal death of the officer who, in their words, had restored peace to numerous villages.
In response, Adepoju said that the command was grieving just as much because the late Angbashim was “one of our gallant and very efficient officers” who gave his all in the battle against crime and unlawful activity.
“I can assure you that no one will be spared,” he said. We shall take necessary action. Again, Ekpeye Kingdom will be fantastic. In my opinion, we will succeed since we are making every effort.
According to our correspondent, Nwonyi sent another DPO to Ahoada after SP Angbashim passed away, with the duty of finding his killers and retrieving the former’s remains.
Remember how Nwonyi claimed at a Port Harcourt gathering that the late Angbashim was duped into believing the dare-devil cultists were ready to give up their weapons and accept amnesty?
