Rivers Court Sentences Four To Death For Murder Of SP Bako Angbashim

A High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, February 12, 2026, sentenced four persons to death by hanging for their roles in the 2023 killing of the Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada East, Superintendent of Police Bako Angbashim, bringing legal closure to one of the state’s most high-profile security cases.

Justice Sika Aprioku of the Rivers State High Court found Robinson Sonabari, Bright Okparawo, Precious Amaeze (also known as Selina) and Loveday Jack (popularly Rugged Excess) guilty of conspiracy, murder, armed robbery and cult-related offences.

The court ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and ordered that the four convicts be executed by hanging in line with the law.

A sixth defendant, Samuel Nwadinma, received three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy, while another accused was discharged and acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

SP Angbashim was killed on September 8, 2023, during an ambush by suspected members of an Iceland cult group in Odiemude community, Ahoada East Local Government Area.

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He had led a police operation targeting criminal hideouts when attackers overpowered the team and fatally assaulted him.

The killing sparked widespread outrage and prompted a major security crackdown. The trial, which lasted several months, examined witness testimonies, forensic evidence, and other findings linking the convicted persons to the ambush.

The court concluded that the four condemned individuals actively planned and executed the attack, while rulings on other defendants reflected the strength of evidence presented.

Authorities described the verdict as a strong warning against cult violence and attacks on security personnel, emphasizing the judgment’s role in upholding accountability and the rule of law.

The case remains one of the most significant in Rivers State’s fight against organized criminal networks and cult-related killings, particularly in areas of persistent insecurity like Ahoada East.