The police in Rivers State, South-south Nigeria, have arrested six suspects over their alleged involvement in the killing of a divisional police officer (DPO) in the state.
The police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the DPO, Bako Angbashim, was ambushed and beheaded by gunmen on Friday night while he was returning from an operation alongside some police operatives.
The incident happened in Odumude, a community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state.
The late DPO, who headed the Ahoada Division of the Nigeria Police in the state, was a superintendent of police.
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How the suspects were arrested
Mrs Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police, said the six suspects were arrested during an operation in the community on Saturday.
The police spokesperson said the operation was conducted to recover the body of the slain DPO and also as part of their on-the-spot-assessment of the community.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Emeka Nwonyi, led other operatives in the operation, she said.
“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 Criminal Investigation Department, Port Harcourt,” she said.
New DPO
Mrs Iringe-Koko said a new DPO, Richard Zuokumor, also a superintendent of police, has been assigned to the division.
Mr Zuokumor visited the divisional police headquarters, accompanied by some officers from various police units in the state, according to the statement.
The police spokesperson said the new DPO has been tasked to conduct a thorough search of the area, track down all the killers of the late DPO and recover his body.
She said the operation and the ongoing investigation into the killing will go on simultaneously.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has placed a N100 million bounty on the suspected killer of the DPO.
The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, disclosed this on Saturday in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Mr Fubara also announced the indefinite suspension of a traditional ruler in the area, Eze Igbu Akoh II, whom he accused of “ceding control of his territory to the notorious David Gift and his gang to freely operate and carry out their criminal activities.”
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