The Nigerian Police Force(NPF) has arrested a principal suspect allegedly connected to the killing of over 20 worshippers who were murdered on January 1,on there way back from crossover service in Omoku town, Rivers State.
Desmond Okotubo, was trailed to Mpape, a suburb of Abuja and subsequently arrested by the Intelligence Response Team.
Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police, who conveyed the arrest of the suspect, Desmond Okotubo, in a statement said
Okotubo had escaped to Abuja, after a gun battle with the police team at a location in Imo State.
Moshood added that the response team had killed 6 others suspects at a forest linking Imo and Rivers States.
“The IGP-Intelligence Response Team working on an actionable intelligence further identified Desmond Okotubo who escaped on the 3rd January, 2018 to Abuja after a shoot out with the Police Team in a location in Imo State, he was trailed to Mpape in Abuja where he was arrested after serious resistance on the 9th January, 2018.
“This principal Suspect, Desmond Okotubo 32yrs, is a Native of Egbenma from Unelga LGA Rivers State Confessed to be one of the masterminds of the gang and actively participated in the killings of innocent people in Omoku Rivers state on the New Year day. He further gave details of how they planned the Operation in Awara Town Imo State before they carried out the act.
“The suspect, Desmond Okotubo also revealed to the Police how their Gang leader Don Wanny gathered them and briefed them on the night of 31st January, 2017 on the mission to attack and kill the residents of Omoku town.”
Explaining how the 6 suspects were conquered by the intelligence team, the police mouthpiece said: “Concerned by the Gruesome Murder of Innocent people in Omoku Rivers state on the 1st January, 2018 by the vicious and Notorious kidnap for ransom and cult syndicate leader Don Wanny and his gang.
“The…IGP Ibrahim Idris set-up special Police joint investigation team, comprising the IGP-Intelligence Response Team, the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Force Department of Operations and the Rivers State Police Command to immediately unravel those behind the killings and bring them to Justice.
“The IGP-Intelligence Response Team attached to the Joint Police Special Investigation Team engaged some of the suspects in their hideouts in Awara Forest boundary between Imo and Rivers State, the shoot out lasting several hours resulted in the death of six (6) of the suspects while others escaped with bullet wound injury to other locations in Rivers, Delta, Imo and Bayelsa States and the Police Teams are currently on their trail.”
Meanwhile, the Police said intelligence had revealed, that the New Year Day’s attack was carried out by 30 gun men, on the alleged orders of Don Waney, who was killed recently in a joint operation between the Army and Department of State Services (DSS).
They suspected killers, were said to have been armed with over 20 AK-47 assault rifles.
“Thirty (30) of them Armed with over Twenty (20) AK47 Rifles crossed the river from Awara to Omoku forest and proceeded to Omoku town and opened fire on innocent Citizens celebrating the new year.
“Investigation is being intensified to arrest other members of the gang still at large to get to the root of the matter. The suspect will be arraigned in court on completion of investigation”, He stated.
Stella Enenche, Abuja
