Again, gunmen kill 2 policemen in Delta, cart away service rifles

By FESTUS AHON, Ibadan

Dare devil armed robbers, Saturday night killed two police Inspectors, injured two other officers attached to ‘Operation Delta Safe’ at Ugbolu, along Ugbolu/Illah road, Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State and carted away two of their service rifles.

The incident, the Vanguard gathered happened around 8 pm at a bad spot near Lake Town Hotel, adding that two other officers attached to team sustained severe bullet injuries. The source who pleaded anonymity lamented that the road has been a safe haven for armed robbers who unleash terror on innocent passengers and drivers on a regular basis particularly at night.

Decrying that no fewer than 10 policemen have lost their lives on that road to armed robbery attacks in the last four years, the source who is a commercial driver plying the route on a daily basis, said he was directly behind the vehicle which the armed robbers used.

The driver said on getting to the checkpoint which was just by the bad spot, the suspected armed robbers opened fire on the policemen who returned fire, adding that some of the policemen ran into the bush. Lamenting that two police Inspectors were found dead and two others sustained bullet injuries when the dust had settled down, he said “the armed robbers asked us to reverse and go back that they were for the policemen. So many passengers including me also ran into the bush for safety. Police patrol Hilux and sienna buses later came to the spot”.

A community source who also spoke to the Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said: “Four Operation Delta Hawk, a new security outfit launched by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa entered Ugbolu community about an hour after the robbery incidence”. The source said deceased was taken to the mortuary while the two injured officers were taken to a hospital (names withheld) in Asaba for medical attention.

Meanwhile, a dependable source told the Vanguard that a team of policemen who were returning from Ugbolu after the incident mistakenly shot a 75 years woman dead. The source who also pleaded anonymity said the police patrol team were chasing the vehicle heading to Asaba after the driver refused to stop for search, adding that in the process of trying to deflate the tyres with bullets, a 75 years old woman in the vehicle was hit by a bullet.

The effort to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO in the State, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya on the matter proved abortive at press time. However, a senior Police officer who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity confirmed the incident. He could not however confirm whether an arrest has been made or not.

On the 75 years old woman who was mistakenly killed, the police officer said the family of the deceased gave some conditions to the Police, adding that the Palace of the Asagba of Asaba has waded into the matter.

The Police source said the Palace was assisting the police to meet the conditions given by the woman’s family. (Vanguard)