Police operatives in Rivers State have arrested one of the suspects linked to the killing of Mr Bako Angbashim.
Angbashim, Superintendent of Police, had led his men to raid criminal hideouts in the Odemude community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state on September 8, when a dreaded cult group led by Okpara ambushed them, opened fire and eventually captured Angbashim, decapitated his body and filmed their action.
Since the incident, the State Police Command under Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, has been on the hunt for the miscreants.
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the arrest of one of the suspects in a statement on Wednesday.
She said the suspect was about to be lynched by the youths before police operatives came to the rescue.
“The Rivers State Police operatives on Monday, 25/09/2023 at about 19:43hrs acting on actionable information received that in Edoaha Community in Ahoada East, one of the suspects who brutally killed SP Bako Angbashim was about to be lynched to death by an angry mob,” she stated.
“Subsequently, a team of policemen swung into action to rescue the suspect who was about to be burnt with a tyre on his neck. He was rescued and brought to the station where he made a useful statement.
“He was later transferred to SCID for discreet investigation with a view to apprehend the fleeing kingpin, his gang members, and to recover their operational weapons.”
The suspect whose name is not mentioned is said to be part of the gang who brutally murdered a DPO, SP Bako Angbashim earlier this month.
His killing attracted nationwide condemnation with the police high command, the Federal and the Rivers State Government ordering an investigation and immediate arrest of the suspects.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara also placed a bounty of one hundred million naira on the kingpin, Gift David Okpara Okpolowu and his criminal gang.
Days after the suspects were declared wanted, a video they purposefully filmed surfaced on the internet, showing them celebrating and hailing themselves as victors.
The video, however, exposed and revealed the identities of more members of the group, including the arrested suspect.
