The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced four of the thirteen defendants standing trial over the killing of the former Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada East Division, SP Bako Angbashim, to death by hanging.
Justice Sika Aprioku, who presided over the case, delivered the judgment after finding the four defendants guilty of the charges filed against them. The court also sentenced the sixth defendant, Samuel Nwadinma, to three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy.
However, the third defendant was discharged and acquitted on all four counts of conspiracy, murder, membership of a secret cult group, and robbery due to insufficient evidence.
SP Angbashim was killed in September 2023 when his team was ambushed while returning from an operation. In response to the incident, Governor Siminalayi Fubara announced a ₦100 million bounty on a suspect identified as Gift Okpara, also known as 2Baba, and members of his gang.
The Rivers State Police Command later confirmed in June 2025 that two suspected cult members were arrested in connection with the killing.
