Killings in Omoku: Police Arrest Kingpin, Kill 6 for 'Role' in New Year Day Massacre in Rivers State (Photo)

  

 

While speaking to journalists on Thursday in Abuja, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Police Force headquarters, Jimoh Moshood, said they have killed six people alleged to be members of the gang that masterminded the New Year Day killing in Omoku, Rivers State.

 

According to Premium Times, the police spokesman said that the six gang members were killed during a shoot-out at their hideout in Awara Forest, which is a boundary between Imo State and Rivers, adding that they also arrested one Desmond Okotubo, said to be a ‘senior member’ of the deadly gang.

 

Moshood, a chief superintendent of police, said other gang members escaped from the forest with gunshot wounds, ”and ran away to Rivers, Delta, Imo and Bayelsa States, with the police on their trail.”

The 32-year-old suspect, Okotubo, who is from Egbenma, ONELGA Local Government Area of the state, was trailed to Mpape in Abuja where he was arrested on Tuesday, has confessed to taking part in the Omoku killing.

 

He said; “The suspect, Desmond Okotubo, revealed to the Police how their gang leader, Don Wanny gathered them and briefed them on the night of 31st January 2017 on the mission to attack and kill the residents of Omoku town.

“Thirty of them, armed with over 20 AK-47 rifles crossed the river from Awara to Omoku forest and proceeded to Omoku town and opened fire on innocent citizens celebrating the New Year,” the police said.

 

The Nigerian security personnel on Saturday killed the mastermind of the killing, Johnson Igwedibia, popularly known as Don Wayne, at Enugu state where he was hiding with his lieutenants.