30 Militants Involved in Mass Murder on New Year Day in Rivers, Suspects Reveal

Segun Atanda/

Police investigations have revealed how 30 militants led by Don Wani executed the New Year day mass murder at Omoku, Rivers State.
Details of the mission came out Thursday as the police paraded suspects including a senior member of the gang known as Desmond Okotubo.

Thirty-two-year-old Okotubo, who hails from Egbenma, in Unelga area of Rivers State allegedly told the police that they planned the operation in Awara Town, in Imo State before they carried out the act.
Okotubo allegedly revealed how Don Wani had gathered the gang and briefed them on the night of January 31, 2017 on the mission to attack and kill the residents of Omoku town.
The police stated: “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.”
According to the police, a joint investigation team, comprising the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Force Department of Operations and the Rivers State Police Command unravelled those behind the killings.
Police claimed to have killed six members of the gang in a shootout as other suspects escaped with bullet wounds.
Okotubo, who escaped to Abuja on January 3, after a shootout with the Police at a location in Imo State, was trailed to Mpape in Abuja where he was arrested after serious resistance on January 9.