The Police are close to apprehending the notorious cult leader, David Okpala Okpolowu, also known as 2Baba, who spearheaded the brutal killing of the popular crime-fighting Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ahoada-East Local Government Area, Bako Angbasim.
Agbasim was killed and his body dismembered by 2Baba and his dreaded Iceland cult group terrorising Ahoada-East, an area known as a safe haven for violent cult activities.
The Police have been on the trail of 2Baba since the incident occurred with the state government placing a bounty of N100million on his head.
Some of the foot soldiers of the cult leader had either been killed by the police or arrested as the security agency intensified search for the most wanted criminal. But progress in his search was reportedly made at the weekend following the capture of his second-in-command by the police in Bayelsa State.
The Bayelsa operatives, acting on intelligence, were said to have rounded up 43-year-old Onyekachi Ikowa at his hideout in Yenagoa, the state capital.
It was gathered that Ikowa first escaped to Sagamu in Ogun State, but later made his way back to Yenagoa where he hid in an undisclosed location.
A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Bayelsa State, Butswat Asinim, confirmed the arrest of 2Baba’s second in command.
Asinim said the Bayelsa Commissioner of Police, Francis Iduh, immediately ordered police operatives to comb the state and apprehend others hiding in Bayelsa
The statement said: “Police Operatives in Bayelsa State have nabbed one of the killers of Late SP Bako Angbashim, former Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada Division, Rivers State.
“The suspect one Onyekachi Ikowa ‘m’ 43 years, the second in command to TuBaba of the dreaded Icelander cult group, was arrested on 18 November, 2023 based on credible intelligence that he was hibernating in Yenagoa after participating in the callous murder of Late SP Bako Angbashim, in September 2023.
“The Commissioner of Police Bayelsa State Command, Francis Iduh, has charged police operatives to fish out any of his cohorts who is hiding in Bayelsa State, he stressed that the Bayelsa Command under his watch would not be safe haven for criminals to hide.
“The suspect has been handed over to the Rivers Police Command for further investigation.”
