NSCDC operative, armed robber die in gun duel in Bayelsa

An operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, attached to the Bayelsa State Command and a suspected armed robber have died in a gun battle.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the incident took place along Kolo Creek Road in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday.
The Commandant of the NSCDC in the state, Desmond Agu, confirmed the incident on Thursday.
Agu said armed robbers laid ambush for a patrol van of the Corps and killed one of the operatives.
He, however, praised his men for fighting back and overpowering the robbers with their superior gunfire, resulting in the killing of one of the hoodlums and recovery of a riffle from the dead robbery suspect.
Agu said the Command had handed over the riffle and the corpse of the robber to the state Police Command.
The armed robbers, according to an eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, laid ambush for the Civil Defenders after allegedly attacking a security checkpoint along the road earlier.
The witness said: “When they escaped from the scene, they sighted a security patrol van manned by operatives of the NSCDC and hid in the bush.
“When the van approached, they opened fire on it, killing one of the Corps operatives.
”But the operatives fired back at the hoodlums and shot one of the armed robbers, while others escaped.”