PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria — Anger reverberated across Rivers State on Saturday, September 9, 2023, after the brutal murder of Bako Angbashim, a Divisional Police Officer, DPO, celebrated for his bravery in combatting organized crime.
He was killed by Icelanders, a notorious cult group, in a gruesome ambush on Friday, September 8, 2023.
Angbashim, known for leading perilous missions against cultism and kidnapping, was returning from an operation to dislodge a criminal camp in Odeimude Forest, Ahoada East, when armed members of the Icelanders cult ambushed him and his team.
The shocking act has sparked widespread outrage and calls for justice.
Bako’s demise could have been prevented, sources claim, had he been adequately armed.
During the ambush, both sides fired bullets that failed to penetrate. However, Bako and his men started to retreat after they ran out of ammunition.
“There was a shootout for several minutes,” said a confidential source. “The bullets were not penetrating either of the sides until the policemen ran out of ammunition. While the DPO attempted to run, he suffered a muscle cramp and they caught him alive.”
Once captured, Bako was taken to an undisclosed location, where his captors beheaded and mutilated him.
They celebrated the death of the man who had been a formidable force against organized crime in the state.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has declared the suspects wanted and announced a N100 million bounty for their capture.
He also suspended a local traditional ruler for ceding control of his territory to the notorious cult.
“SP Bako was a fine, brave, and dutiful police officer, who gave up his life to keep us safe and secure,” Governor Fubara said in a statement.
“We will do everything in our power to hunt down the criminals and bring them to justice.”
Many stakeholders in Rivers State lamented the loss of Bako, whose gallantry had stabilized many volatile areas.
Despite his heroics, he remained a Superintendent of Police, purportedly to keep him on the operational field.
“He was famous for not wearing shoes or boots. Even when he visited the state command, he was always barefooted,” said another source, speaking under the condition of anonymity.
A statement from Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the lack of ammunition during the ambush, and expressed condolences to the grieving family.
The Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, also condemned the killing.
“The IGP has ordered immediate investigation, arrest, and prosecution of all the culprits,” read a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
“Such nefarious acts against any operative in Nigeria will not be taken lightly.”
With a shaken community and an ongoing investigation, the gruesome killing of Bako Angbashim is a grim reminder of the challenges law enforcement face in their battle against cultism and organized crime in Rivers State.
The quest for justice is now more urgent than ever as residents mourn a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice.
