The Anambra State Command on Monday paraded one Okoye Ernest Chinwe a.k.a IBB in connection with the murder of late President General (PG) of Nimo, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Chief Frank Anthony Igboka.

The suspect was arrested three days after one of the kingpins who actively participated in the dastardly act was arrested and paraded by the Command.

Igboka, a former two-term state legislator, was shot to death by a four-man gang in his country home, Nimo, on April 16, 2019 at about 8:18pm.

Addressing a press conference at the State Command in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of the state before parading the suspect, the State Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura, said that the suspect was traced and arrested in his hideout at old INEC Road Awka.

He said the suspect has confessed to being among the gang members that shot and killed the President General and is assisting the police with useful information that could lead to unveiling the circumstances surrounding the incident and arrest other fleeing accomplices.

He said: “Last week Monday 29/4/2019 I paraded one of the kingpin who actively participated in the murder of the President General of Nimo, Chief Frank Igboka and declared three others wanted.

“Following credible intelligence report, the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) had on Friday 03/5/2019 at about 7:30pm arrested the second principal suspect one Okoye Ernest Chinwe aka (IBB) ‘m’ aged 34 years of Obosi in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State who was initially concealed and later mentioned by the first suspect following discreet investigation. Command traced and arrested the suspect in his hideout at old INEC road Awka.

“Upon interrogation, he confessed of being among the gang members that shot and killed the President General and is assisting the Police with useful information that could lead to unveiling the circumstances surrounding the incident and arrest of other fleeing accomplices.”

While assuring that the Command under his watch will not relent in its efforts until it gets all the remaining perpetrators apprehended and bring them to Justice, Dandaura commended the State Governor Willie Obiano for increasing the reward to N5 million on each of the three suspects declared wanted in order to fast-track Police investigation.

He noted that one major factor for the overall success of the operations was the support of Governor Obiano “and the good people of Anambra State who have been very cooperative with the law enforcement agencies”.

He added: “I acknowledge this fact and urge the people of the state to sustain this level of cooperation with the Police Command at all times. We are indeed in an era where Community Policing remains the vogue and the people we are serving continue to demand for excellent service.”

Dandaura urged residents to be security conscious at all times; and report any strange individuals or suspicious movements to the security agencies promptly.

Responding to questions from journalists, the suspect said he was oblivious of the movement as he only called one of the gang members who was owing him for his money which he promised paying him that day.

He said: “When I called Nwisami for the money (N10,000) he borrowed from me, he said he will pick me up so we go to the place he will collect the money and give me. When we got to the place, they parked the car with one gun left in the car and told me to wait inside that they would be back shortly.

“It was when I saw them bring out guns that I started trembling, asking them what they were up to. They told me to shut up and just wait for them. Shortly after they left, I started hearing gunshots.

“When they came back, I asked them about the gunshots and they said I should mind my business. Nwisami then said that the person they went to collect the money from was no longer there. They noticed I was shaking and they warned me not to say anything to anybody about what happened or else they will kill me and wipe out my family.”

Chinwe denied knowledge of who was shot as the movement was in the night saying that it was in the news he learnt that some boys had killed Nimo PG.

Okoye who claimed to be a surveyor working with Julius Berger at second Niger Bridge said the yet to be identified suspect was not his close friend but a member of the Vikings which he belonged to while in school.

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