The Nigeria Police Force has paraded a suspected member of a terror group, which unleashed mayhem on some residents of Omoku in Rivers State on New Year day.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Jimoh Moshood identified the gang, led by one Don Wanny, as a vicious and notorious kidnap-for-ransom and cult syndicate.

Jimoh disclosed that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris set-up a 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 States. The shootout, lasting several hours, resulted in the death of six 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,” Jimoh said.

He added that the IGP-Intelligence Response Team, working on an actionable intelligence, further identified Desmond Okotubo, 32, who escaped on January 3, 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 January 9, 2018.

Okotubo, who the Police also identified as a principal suspect, is said to be a native of Egbenma from Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. He was said to have confessed to be one of the “masterminds of the gang and actively participated in the killings of innocent people in Omoku on New Year day. He further gave details of how they planned the operation in Awara town in Imo State before they carried out the act.”

Jimoh said: “The suspect, Desmond Okotubo also revealed to the Police how their gang leader, Don Wanny gathered them and briefed them on the night of December 31, 2017 on the mission to attack and kill the residents of Omoku town.

“Thirty of them armed with over 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.

“The renewed commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to guarantee adequate protection of lives and property across the country remains unequivocal and unwavering.”

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