Rivers: Police recover generators seized by wanted 2-Baba over N20m ‘marching fees’
Gift David Okpara Okpolowu (a.k.a. 2-Baba)
Published By: Ayorinde Oluokun
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Police said they are closing in on the most wanted cult kingpin, David Gift Opara, aka 2Baba, the prime suspect in the killing of Superintendent of Police(SP) Bako Angbashim, the Divisional Police Officer(DPO) of Ahoada Police Division of Rivers Command.
Deputy Commissioner of Police(DCP) Operations in Rivers, Olubenga Adepoju said this while handing over four 20Kv generators recovered from 2Baba’s hideout to the owners.
The wanted cult kingpin had seized the generators from a company for not paying him N20 million ‘matching ground’ fee, an illegal levy imposed on persons or organizations by cultists.
DCP Adepoju said “I am here representing Commissioner of Police,CP Olatunji Disu Today to hand over four Perkins generators that were recovered by our tactical teams from the notorious and most wanted criminal in Rivers command David Gift aka 2 Baba and his gang who killed SP Bako Angbashim,DPO of Ahoada Police Division some months back.
“These generators were intercepted by him some months ago while going to a location to be used by the company at Odiemude community in Ahoada East Local Government Area. He seized it and was demanding 20 million naira for the generators- five million naira for each generator before it can be released to the company .
“While we were on search for him, we were able to storm on the generator where he kept them. Our men tactically cordoned off the place and recovered the generators
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“We have the generators here with us. Today we want to present it to the company. I don’t want to mention the name of the company for security reasons. They are here with us now. This is one of our achievements. We are still on his trail and by the grace of God we will get him.
“Criminals should know that Rivers state is not a place for them to stay. They should advise themselves, if not we will give them the chase they deserve.
Meanwhile, one of the representatives of the company in an interview with journalists thanked the Police for their efforts in recovering the generators
He said “I want to seize this opportunity to thank the Rivers state Police Command for this feat. These generators were confiscated some months ago and all efforts to recovered it failed and we reported to the Police.
“They did a very fantastic job even sacrificing their own men to recover our assets and also handing it over to us peacefully without any string attached. This is something that is commendable .I have known the CP for a long time he is a good Police officer with alot of respect accorded to him”.
He added that the achievement is a testimony of the way Police relate friendly with the public .
Our Correspondent who was at the Octopus Tactical unit reports was shown the four generators recovered by the Police.
