The police on Thursday paraded a principal suspect in the January 1 killings in Omoku, Rivers State, Desmond Okotubo.
At least 15 persons were killed in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area of Rivers State, by a faceless group.
Okotubo was arrested in Mpape area of Abuja after the attack.
Those who were killed had gone to their various churches for the crossover night service before they were ambushed by the attackers.
The victims included a man, his wife and four children.
The 32 –year- old suspect from Egbema in Rivers State admitted to his involvement in the attack alongside the Commander of the group, Chief Igwedibia, aka “General Don Wanny.”
The police also disclosed that six members of the gang were killed during a gun duel that lasted hours.
The Force Spokesman, Jimoh Moshood said: “The IGP Intelligence Response Team attached to the Joint Police Special Investigation Team engaged some of the suspects in their hideouts in Awara Forest boundary between Imo and Rivers State, the shootout lasting several hours resulted in the death of six of the suspects while others escaped with bullet wound to other locations in Rivers, Delta, Imo and Bayelsa States and the police teams are currently on their trail.
“The IGP-Intelligence Response Team working on an actionable intelligence further identified Desmond Okotubo who escaped on the 3rd January, 2018 to Abuja after a shootout with the police team in a location in Imo State. He was trailed to Mpape in Abuja where he was arrested after serious resistance on the 9th January, 2018.
“The principal Suspect, Desmond Okotubo, 32years, is a native of Egbenma from Unelga LGA Rivers State and confessed to be one of the masterminds of the gang and actively participated in the killings of innocent people in Omoku, Rivers State, on the New Year day.
“He further gave details of how they planned the operation in Awara Town Imo State before they carried out the act".
The suspect, Desmond Okotubo also revealed to the Police how their Gang leader Don Wanny gathered them and briefed them on the night of 31st January, 2017 on the mission to attack and kill the residents of Omoku town. Thirty (30) of them Armed with over Twenty (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.
CSP Jimoh Moshood further concluded that Investigation is being intensified to arrest other members of the gang still at large to get to the root of the matter, the suspect will be arraigned in court on completion of investigation.
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