The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the death of a notorious cult leader, Gift Okpara, also known as 2 Baba, who is the prime suspect in the murder of a former Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada Division, Bako Angbashim, in September last year.
Since the death of the cop, the command had been on his trail, with constant land and air bombardments in the various hideouts of the Iceland cult leader, even as some of his lieutenants were gunned down previously.
However, spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement issued on Monday said intelligence reports revealed that the wanted cult kingpin was killed in a recent joint security raid in the Idu-Ekpeye community, Ahiada East LGA.
Irinke-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, also said a human skull, assorted rifles, explosives, and various charms among others, were recovered during the last raid in his new hideout, which culminated in his death.
The statement read, “On February 17, 2024, at around 12:00hrs, 2BABA and his gang attacked Okogbe town and Odiokwu community in Ahoda West LGA, destroying pipelines.
“At 04:00hrs, operatives raided 2BABA’s new camp. Despite a fierce gun battle, 2BABA and his gang members escaped.
“However, at around 14:00hrs, intelligence confirmed 2BABA’s death after he lost consciousness and resuscitation attempts failed.
“Efforts are in progress to retrieve the body of the infamous killer, while investigations into the Iceland cult’s activities in the region continue.
“The Rivers State Police Command remains resolute in its duty to protect the lives and property of the citizens and it will continue to employ all necessary resources and strategies to ensure a safe and secure environment for all.”
The statement listed items recovered from the camp to include one AK47 rifle, one G3 rifle, one scorpion rifle, one double barrel locally made gun, and two locally-made pistols.
Others are one cut-to-size double barrel gun, one bullet proof vest, 13 pieces of dynamites, five rounds of .9mm live ammunition, 10 Army camouflage, 11 assorted charms, one human skull and one jack-knife.”
Meanwhile, there has been jubilation in the Ahoada axis of the state following the killing of the cult leader, who they said kept terrorising communities in the area and demanding various sums of money from households.
The notorious cultist, in a voice note aired on a popular radio station (92.3, Nigeria Info, Port Harcourt) in November 2023, denied any involvement in the crime.
“I was surprised and I want to tell people that I was not after the DPO and I’m not involved in his death. It is just that the incident happened on my community road. And the day it (killing) occurred, I spoke with him. I and the DPO discussed this.
“I was not even there when he was killed that day and I was shocked when I heard about the incident,” he claimed.
