PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria – Operatives of the Department of State Security, DSS arrested the King of Akoh Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Eze Cassidy Ikegbidi, over his alleged involvement in the killing of SP Angbashim.
Ikegbidi was handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, and has been under interrogation.
Governor Fubara had previously suspended the monarch, accusing him of relinquishing control of his territory to notorious criminals like David Gift and his gang.
Ikegbidi’s homes in Port Harcourt and Ihugbogo community were searched as part of the ongoing investigation, according to another source.
Despite multiple attempts, the state police command spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, did not respond to calls for comment on the situation.
The incident has fueled tensions in a region already plagued by cult-related violence and crime, casting a cloud over the effectiveness of security operations aimed at restoring law and order.
In a related development, three people were killed in Odiemere community, Ahoada East Local Government of Rivers State, allegedly by security personnel conducting a manhunt for the killers of Superintendent of Police Bako Angbashim.
Angbashim, the Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada Police Division, was murdered by cultists last Friday.
The search operation was initiated under the directive of Rivers State Governor Siminalaye Fubara and targeted cultists terrorizing the region.
While the police officer was killed at Odiemudie, the operation had extended to the nearby Odiemere community, resulting in the killing of the three individuals.
An anonymous source from the community insisted that the three victims were not involved in cultist activities.
According to the source on Sunday, September 19, 2023,, the young men began running upon seeing the “fierce-looking” security personnel and were subsequently shot.
One died at the scene, while the other two succumbed to their injuries at a healthcare facility.
“The security men have killed three people in Odiemere. The boys saw the security men and started running, so, the security men shot them. One of them died there while the other two died at the hospital. As we talk, Odiemere is empty now,” the source said.
