Gunmen behead Divisional Police Officer in South-south Nigeria

Gunmen, suspected to be cultists, have beheaded Bako Angbashim, the divisional police officer (DPO) in charge of Ahoada in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, South-south Nigeria.

The incident happened on Friday night.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the officer, a superintendent of police, was beheaded by suspected members of Iceland cult group in Odemude, a community in the council area.

The attackers were said to have laid an ambush for him while the DPO and other officers were planning to raid some criminal hideouts in the area.

A video clip, which went viral on Friday night, showed Mr Angbanshim’s head, hand and his private part cut into pieces.

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In the clip, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the gunmen chanted victory songs while the officer’s remains littered the ground.

The spokesperson of the police in Rivers State, Grace Iringe-Koko, did not respond to calls seeking her comment.

However, Mrs Iringe-Koko, also a superintendent of police, confirmed the killing of the DPO in a statement on Saturday morning.

The police spokesperson said the DPO was shot and killed after his fellow police team members exhausted their ammunition during a shoot-out with the cult group

“In the face of this adversity, SP Bako Angbashim, valiantly held his ground while his men, depleted of ammunition, made a tactical retreat. Regrettably, during this engagement, SP Bako Angbashin sustained fatal injuries,” she said.

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“The criminal seized the body of SP Bako Angbashim, forcing the remaining officers to return to their base for reinforcement.”

Mrs Iringe-Koko said thick darkness at that time prevented some officers and military reinforcement team from recovering the DPO’s body from the hoodlums.

She said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Polycarp Nwonyi, has expressed “deep determination” to track down the killers of the DPO.

“An extensive investigation is underway to uncover the circumstances surrounding this tragic event,” she said.

The spokesperson said the police in the state have condoled with the family of the slain DPO and everyone affected by the “distressing incident.”