Police find the skull of the murdered Rivers DPO

The skull of Bako Angbashim, a former Divisional Police Officer of the Ahoada Police Division, who was allegedly killed in September 2023 by a cult led by Gift Okpara, also known as 2Baba, has been found, according to the Rivers State Police Command.

On September 8, 2023, members of the Icelandic cult group ambushed Angbashim, took his head off in the Odiemude hamlet in the Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state, and fled with his remains.

The DPO’s severed remains were captured on camera by the accused after the murder and shared on social media.

In a statement released in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Grace Iringe-Koko, the state police command’s spokesperson, revealed the discovery of the deceased DPO’s skull.

Iringe-Koko went on to say that the recovery was accomplished as part of a coordinated operation by members of the Force Intelligence Bureau and tactical teams from the XOMMAND on the camp of the slain cult leader.

She stated that the “unwavering commitment to resolving this heinous crime and ensuring justice has yielded fruitful results,” even though attempts were still underway to recover the deceased Angbashim’s remaining body parts from the scene.

“On Sunday, March 10, 2024, tactical squads from the Rivers State Police Command and personnel from the Force Intelligence Bureau carried out a coordinated joint operation,” the release stated.

The camp of the late cult leader Gift Okpara, also referred to as 2Baba, was the focus of this operation. It was located in the forest area of Odiemude Community in Ahoada East Local Government Area.

“After a thorough search during the operation, the bones of the slain police officer, SP Bako Angbashim, were found and exhumed from a burial spot inside the gang’s temple.

Notably, the deceased’s skull was discovered among the unearthed remains. The recovered remains have been brought to the mortuary, where they will be subjected to DNA testing and scientific analysis.

By carefully comparing the remains with samples that were given to the late officer’s family, these tests seek to determine the identify of the remains.

“Furthermore, ongoing efforts are underway to locate and retrieve the remaining dismembered parts of SP Bako Angbashim’s body, suspected to have been buried at various undisclosed locations within the forest.”

On February 17, 2024, 2Baba, the gang leader accountable for this atrocity, was slain during an attack carried out by the Rivers State Police Command in Ebrass, Ahoada West LGA.

The decaying body of the feared cult leader was found by the authorities in a shallow grave in the Ebrass forest a few days later.
On behalf of the Rivers State Police Command, the state commissioner of police, Olatunji Disu, praised the unflinching dedication and firm commitment shown by all the officers involved in this operation.

The PPRO went on, “The command would like to express its appreciation to the community for their invaluable assistance during the course of the investigation.

“The police are committed to ensuring the safety and security of every citizen, and they will not relent in their efforts to capture the gang’s surviving members.”

The goal of the Rivers State Police Command is still to protect the state’s judicial system, security, and peace. As things develop, regular updates on the investigation’s status will be given.