A popular divisional police officer (DPO), Bako Angbashim, known for walking barefoot, has been beheaded by suspected cultists in Odemude, a community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to POLITICS NIGERIA, the incident happened on Friday night when the DPO and his team were planning to raid some criminal hideouts in the area.

The gunmen were said to have laid an ambush for the DPO and his team, and opened fire on them. The DPO was shot and killed, and his body was beheaded by the gunmen.

A video clip of the incident, which went viral on social media, showed the gunmen suspected to be cultists chanting victory songs while the DPO’s remains littered the ground.

The spokesperson of the police in Rivers State, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the killing of the DPO in a statement on Saturday morning.

She said the DPO was shot and killed after his fellow police team members exhausted their ammunition during a shoot-out with the cult group.

“In the face of this adversity, SP Bako Angbashim, valiantly held his ground while his men, depleted of ammunition, made a tactical retreat. Regrettably, during this engagement, SP Bako Angbashin sustained fatal injuries,” she said.

“The criminal seized the body of SP Bako Angbashim, forcing the remaining officers to return to their base for reinforcement.”

Mrs Iringe-Koko said thick darkness at that time prevented some officers and military reinforcement team from recovering the DPO’s body from the hoodlums.

She said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Polycarp Nwonyi, has expressed “deep determination” to track down the killers of the DPO.

“An extensive investigation is underway to uncover the circumstances surrounding this tragic event,” she said.