As Gov Fubara places N100 m bounty on prime suspect
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
No fewer than six suspects have been nabbed by the police in Rivers State over the beheading of the Ahoada East Local Government Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Bako Angbashim.
The DPO was gruesomely slaughtered on Friday by suspected cultists terrorising Akoh kingdom and its environs.
According to reports, the late DPO was ambushed with his men while trying to contain the bloody attack by a deadly gang of cultists in the Odumude area of Ahoada East.
Palpable fear has since gripped residents who have now deserted the area.
In a swift response, Governor Siminalaye Fubara, placed N100 million bounty on the prime suspect fingered in the dastardly act.
A cultist leader, Gift Okpara Okpolowu, popularly known as 2baba is being fingered for the crime.
The arrest of the suspects followed the relocation of the state’s Police Commissioner, Nwonyi Emeka, to the area with heavy security mobilisation in search of the killer cultists and restoration of peace.
Meanwhile, Governor Fubara, miffed by the development, Sunday, convened an emergency Security Council meeting at Government House, Port Harcourt, with Heads of all security agencies in the state in attendance to review the ugly situation.
Ikengaonline gathered that far reaching decisions were reached at the meeting to decisively deal with the situation.
Some of the security egg heads at the meeting were 6 Division Garrison Commander, Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. E. Effiong; Commander 115, Special Operation Group, Group Captain A. Idris; and Commodore D.O.C. Igbo, Commander NNS, Pathfinder.
Others were CP Emeka, Rivers State Commissioner of Police; Director, Department of State Services, Rivers State Command and Commandant Basil Igwebueze, NSCDC Commandant, Rivers State Command and others, according to a statement by the governor’s Special Assistant on Media, Boniface Onyedi.
The Rivers Governor at the meeting, reportedly tasked the security agencies to fish out the prime suspect (Okpara Okpolowu) at all cost.
He said that his immediate arrest would be a clear statement that “Rivers is not a safe haven for criminals.”
The highly infuriated Governor who described the incident as barbaric, sympathised with the Police and the family of the slain officer over the dastardly act.
He vowed to bring the perpetrators to book and make Rivers unsafe for criminals.
The Governor who expressed confidence in the security agencies to apprehend the culprits, solicited information from the public that could lead to the arrest of the kingpin.
“It is really unfortunate that in our state where we are doing everything to reduce crime rate, a group of miscreants portrays the state as being unsafe. We honestly feel very sad over this incident. As a government, we will not rest until whoever is responsible for this act is brought to book.
“We have gone further to show our commitment in this issue by placing a bounty on the criminals and also suspended the traditional ruler of that locality. We will do everything on our part to ensure we get to the end of this matter, we must get him at all cost.
“Rivers State has never and will not be a home of criminality. I believe that the calibre of men that are heading the security unit of the state will do everything within their powers to settle these matters.”
A statement issued Sunday by Rivers Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Grace Iringe-Koko, regretted that residents of the community have all fled for safety.
It read: “The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emeka, along with his management team and tactical units, conducted an operation on September 9, 2023 at approximately 0600hrs in Odumude community, Ahaoda East LGA, Rivers State with the objective to recover the deceased DPO’s body and conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the community.
“During this operation, six suspects were apprehended within the community. Among the items seized were a locally crafted pistol and various charms. These suspects and the confiscated items are currently under police custody and are undergoing interrogation at the State CID, Port Harcourt. As a result of these developments, the community has been evacuated by its residents.
“Furthermore, a new DPO, SP Zuokumor Richard, has been assigned to the division. He is accompanied by half a unit of men from Mopol 48, one-third unit from Mopol 19, 56 and tactical teams.
“He has been tasked with a thorough search of the area, apprehension of the culprits responsible for the DPO’s demise, recovery of the body and location of any operational weapons used. This operation will continue while the investigation remains ongoing.”
