Suspected Killer Of Rivers DPO Saved From Lynching, Detained

One of the persons alleged to be involved in the killing and decapitation of the Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada Division in Ahoada East Local Government Area, Mr Bako Angbashim, a Superintendent of Police, has been arrested by the operatives of the Rivers State Police Command.

Meanwhile, the Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State, where Angbashim served before his redeployment to Ahoada, has said they were not the people that killed five members of Angbashim’s family.

It will be recalled that the family of Angbashim, four children and wife, were allegedly killed by criminals, allegedly forcing the slain DPO to go diabolic in the line of duty.

But, the Ogonis in a statement in Port Harcourt, yesterday by the Ogoni Peoples Assembly, OPA, said the slain DPO did not lose his family members in Ogoni land as insinuated.

The leader of OPA, Rev. Probel Williams, said the deceased DPO had a very good and cordial relationship with the people of Ogoni when he served as the DPO of Bori, Khana LGA, adding that his family members would not have been killed in the area.

Williams said the support given to the deceased contributed to his crime-fighting success, stating that his presence brought sanity and restored security in the area.

However, the police in the state said they had detained one of the persons, involved in the killing of Angbashim.

It said youths had arrested the suspect and were about to lynch him before he was rescued by the police and then detained.

The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the development, said the suspect was arrested by youths and was about to be lynched before police came to the rescue.

Speaking earlier to youths, who apprehended him, the suspect whose name was not disclosed, said his boss, 2Baba Gift David Okpala Okpolowu, popularly called 2Baba, had over 40 guns in his custody.

He said his boss had contacted a native doctor from the Ogoni area of the state, who helped them kill the DPO spiritually to enable them to defeat the gallant officer.

He said: “I will not lie, when they killed the DPO, I was not there. I was across the river. I will not lie, I have a conscience. When they brought the DPO, I did not see him. I swear. I don’t know where they buried him. But I know where they brought him from.

“2Baba has over 40 guns since I went there. The person who supplies guns to him, he called the person on the phone, pays the person, and then they will supply the guns. I don’t know him.”