Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have gun down member of an armed robbery gang who killed three persons while trying to escape from scene of an operation in Udu Local Local Government Area of the state.
The victims, all males, were killed by the robbers who shot indiscriminately while escaping at the Mofor Park in at about 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 30.
According to an eyewitness, the fleeing robbers shot at the victims while trying to clear their way towards the Otokutu axis of the DSC expressway.
“They were coming from Udu and heading towards Otokutu area. So it seems they were stuck at that Mofor Park area and fired the shots, killing the four men,” the witness said.
The state police spokesperson, DSP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday, said two of the robbers were injured during gun duel with police operatives. One of them later died in the hospital while receiving treatment.
Edafe said the gang’s operational vehicle, one AK 47 Rifle, three locally made guns and eleven rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
“On 30/12/2021 at about 1005hrs information was received by the Command that dare devil armed hoodlums were firing intense gunshots at Morfor motor garage in Udu LGA and in the process shot three (3) persons dead,” Edafe stated.
The Commissioner of Police Delta State CP Ari Muhammed Ali directed the DPO Ovwian Aladja to go after the hoodlums.
“The hoodlums on sighting the police escaped towards Udu-Otokutu expressway in a red mercury mariner jeep with reg no. Abuja KWL 895 RQ but on getting to Igbeki in Ovwian Aladja they again attempted to attack one chief (name withheld) unknown to them that the chief had a team of Special protection unit (SPU) operatives escorting him.”
However, on noticing the presence of the SPU operatives, the hoodlums numbering about four diverted to a street in Igbeki Udu.
The combined team of SPU Operatives and Ovwian Aladja Patrol teams led by the DPO Ovwian Aladja Division went after the hoodlums.
The hoodlums engaged the police teams in a gun duel and in the ensuing shootout, two of the armed robbers sustained gunshot injuries while the other members of the gang escaped into the bush
The injured suspects were taken to the hospital but gave up the ghost while receiving treatment.
“One AK 47 rifle with breech no. 148399, one magazine loaded with eleven rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, three cut-to-size locally made guns were recovered. One Red Mercury Mariner Jeep with reg no. Abuja KWL 895 RQ which is the operational vehicle of the hoodlums was also recovered. Manhunt for the fleeing suspects is ongoing.” the PPRO added.