The prime suspect in the murder of the Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, Bako Angbashin, Gift David Okpara, also known as General 2-Baba, has spoken from his hiding.
The suspect in a voice note aired on a popular radio station (92.3, Nigeria Info, Port Harcourt) on Monday morning denied any involvement in the crime.
The wanted leader of the Iceland cult also said he spoke with the late DPO hours before his death.
The suspect also revealed why his gang picked up arms after they were granted amnesty by the former administration.
He said, “I want to tell the Rivers State Government that I am not involved in anything concerning the death of the DPO. I didn’t want to say anything all this while. But I decided to speak out because of the way people were talking about it.
“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.”
Speaking on amenesty granted to them, he said, “We submitted all the arms and ammunition we had, but our opposition refused to submit. And I saw that the government didn’t do anything about it. So, my gang started regretting our decision to submit our arms.
“So, since we no longer had weapons, our rivals now used the advantage to trail us and kill members of my gang. They killed my younger brother of the same parents and burnt our house. That was my annoyance and that was why I went back to gunplay (crime).
“I didn’t pick up arms again for the purpose of intimidating people and causing problems. Everybody knows I was not into kidnapping, illegal bunkering, or any criminal activity.
“I have just been concentrating on my business. And everybody knows that the only business I was doing was dredging. That is what I do.”
He added that he was self-sponsored and not bankrolled by a traditional ruler as claimed.
Raye24reporters recalls that General 2-Baba was declared wanted by the Rivers State Police Command following the gruesome murder of Angbashin on September 8, 2023, in Odiemude community in Ahoada East LGA of the state.
No fewer than 50 persons, including a monarch and former LG Chairman, are standing trial over the death of the gallant police officer.
