Odhiemudhie Community in Ahoada-East Local Government Area of Rivers State has been deserted as security operatives sustain a manhunt of the killers of the Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada, late Bako Angbashim, a Superintendent of Police.

The aggressive manhunt, which began on Saturday, September 9, 2023, was ordered by both the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, PhD, and led by the State Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, PhD.

Both officials ordered the security operatives to leave no stone unturned in smoking out the killers of the late SP Angbashim, who was ambushed alongside his men, shot and killed by suspected Iceland Cult members at Odhiemudhie Community in Ahoada-East LGA.

They further desecrated his body which they dismembered by posting a video of it, which has since gone viral.

In a tweet on his official X, formerly Twitter, handle, Siminalayi Fubara said he repeated the order early morning Sunday, September 10, 2023 at a meeting of the State Security Council which had in attendance heads of the various security agencies in the State.

“This morning, we held an emergency security meeting to tackle the urgency created by the gruesome murder of SP Bako Angbashim, the DPO of Ahoada, by some miscreants.”

“We have taken further steps by asking the security agencies to smoke out the miscreants by any means so as to keep our state safe for all law-abiding citizens.”

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command says it has apprehended six suspects in connection to the DPO’s killing, just as a new DPO, Richard Zuokumor, a Superintendent of Police (SP), assumes office in Ahoada Division.

Spokesperson of the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, also a Superintendent of Police, said the arrests were made during an operation on Saturday, September 9, 2023 led by CP Nwonyi, alongside his management team and tactical units at Odhiemudhie Community.

She said the objective of the operation was to recover the deceased DPO’s body and conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the community, stating that the arrested suspects are in custody and undergoing interrogation at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID).

Iringe-Koko further disclosed that a locally crafted pistol and various charms recovered from them were with the Police, while residents of the community have deserted it as a result of the developments there.

The new DPO, SP Zuokumor Richard, according to her statement, was assigned to replace the deceased Angbashim at the division, accompanied by half a unit of men from Mobil Police Unit (Mopol) 48, one-third unit from Mopol 19, 56, and tactical teams.

The statement further said the new DPO has been tasked with a thorough search of the area, apprehension of the culprits responsible for the DPO’s demise, recovery of the body, and location of any operational weapons used and assured that the operation will continue while the investigation remains ongoing.