The Police Command in Rivers has announced the arrest of three suspected cultists allegedly involved in the murder of a senior police officer in the state.

Bako Angbashim, former Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ahoada Division, was captured and beheaded by suspected cultist in September 2023, prompting a statewide manhunt for the perpetrators.

SP Grace Iringe-Koko, spokesperson of the Command, disclosed on Tuesday in Port Harcourt that the arrests followed credible intelligence on the suspects’ whereabouts.

“Following actionable intelligence, operatives from the Octopus Tactical Unit successfully apprehended one of the murder suspects, known simply as K1.

“K1 is identified as a member of the Iceland cult group, formerly led by the late 2Baba, which has been linked to the killing of the late DPO, Bako Angbashim,” she said.

Iringe-Koko stated that during interrogation, K1 disclosed the identities of other accomplices, leading to the arrest of two additional suspects.

She explained that the officers subsequently tracked and arrested LoveGod Goodluck in Ikata Community, Ahoada East area, and Precious Olumini, who previously escaped from custody.

She added that the operatives recovered a locally made single-barrel gun and two cartridges from Goodluck, while an English-made pump-action rifle and a locally made pistol were seized from Olumini.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to being members of the Iceland cult group, which has been responsible for a series of violent crimes in the Ahoada-East axis of the state,” Iringe-Koko added.

She confirmed that investigation was ongoing and assured that the suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion.

She said that police were intensifying manhunt for the other fleeing members of the syndicate, with the goal of recovering additional weapons and ensuring they were brought to justice.

According to Iringe-Koko, the arrests represent a significant breakthrough in the command’s ongoing efforts to combat cultism and violent crimes across the state. (NAN)

 German prosecutors on Tuesday have charged a 43-year-old Chinese national with 22 offences, including attempted murder and aggravated rape after drugging victims, in some cases involving women he knew.

The accused, who was not identified, is suspected of sedating women with sleeping pills and raping them in eight cases.

Prosecutors in Frankfurt said some victims knew the defendant and were unaware of what was happening.

In four cases, the man is suspected of overpowering, anaesthetising and raping the victims during property viewings and of videoing or photographing the acts.

In seven cases, the drug dose was so high it may have endangered victims’ lives, prosecutors said in a statement.

The accused is alleged to have been a member of the Telegram online platform for several years, where he exchanged information about how to sexually assault unconscious women.

He is also believed to have illegally sold sedatives to other chat participants, prosecutors said.

The man from Offenbach, near Frankfurt, is believed to have committed the offences between January 2020 and November 2024, and has been in custody since November 2024, prosecutors said.

The charges follow the high-profile case of Dominique Pelicot in France, convicted in December of repeatedly drugging and raping his wife for almost a decade and inviting dozens of strangers to rape her unconscious body. (Reuters/NAN) 

 An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, ordered the remand of a 24-year-old man, Elijah Innocent, at the correctional centre in Ado-Ekiti for alleged rape.

The defendant, whose address was not provided, is facing trial for alleged rape.

His plea was however not taken by the Chief Magistrate.

The Police prosecutor, Insp Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 19 at about 12:30 a.

Oriyomi alleged that the defendant raped a 19-year-old student of Federal University of Oye-Ekiti.

He said that according to the statement of the victim, the defendant went to the victim’s hostel, met the victim and her friend and demanded for their phones.

He added that the defendant, thereafter, asked the victim’s friend to go inside the kitchen, and raped her.

According to him, the offence contravenes Section 265(1) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

The prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendant in the correctional centre pending legal advice from the office of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Abayomi Adeosun, ordered the remand of the defendant at the correctional centre, pending issuance of legal advice.

He adjourned the case till July 8 for mention.

In a separate matter involving the defendant, Oriyomi told the court that the defendant and others now at large committed an offence of stealing on Feb.2 at about 12:40 p.m in Oye-Ekiti.

He alleged that the defendant and others at large stole one Techno phone and one power bank both valued at N185, 000 belonging to one Ige Favour.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.

Oriyomi said the offence contravened Section 302(1) (a) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

The prosecutor asked the court for an adjournment to enable him to study the case file and present his witnesses.

However the counsel to the defendant, Mr Oluwafemi Alabi, urged the court to grant the defendant bail, with a promise that he would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50, 000 with one surety in like sum.

He adjourned the case till July 8 for hearing. (NAN)