Two suspected armed robbers were gunned down during a gun duel with operatives of the Delta State police command on August 28, 2021.
According to a statement by the command’s spokesman, DSP Edafe Bright, the divisional patrol team from Otu-Jeremi Police Station while on stop and search duty along Egbo/Otokutu road had received information that four suspected armed robbers who had earlier snatched two vehicles: a gold-coloured Toyota Camry with registration number RSH 291 AW and a custom coloured Lexus 350 SUV with registration number WWR 737 KL had abandoned the vehicles at Otokutu community due to suspected mechanical faults and were escaping in a tricycle.
The team chased the hoodlums but the gang on sighting the police team opened fire on them and in the ensuing gun battle, the hoodlums were forced to abandon the tricycle.
Two of the hoodlums escaped and ran into the bush, while two others were fatally wounded and found in the tricycle with gunshot injuries.
An AK-47 rifle, an empty magazine, a cash sum of N200,000, and gold jewellery were recovered from it.
The wounded suspects were rushed to the hospital where they gave up the ghost while receiving treatment.
The Divisional Police Officer, Otu-jeremi Division, again led a combined team of police and vigilantes to further comb the bush for the possible arrest of the other fleeing members of the gang, but in the process recovered another AK-47 rifle with breach number NK344397 with two magazines and three live ammunition.
In another development, on August 28, 2021, the command’s operatives raided a criminal hideout in Ozoro community where two suspects, Cyril Enishoke, 20, and Oghogho Joseph ‘f’,32, were arrested and large quantity of substance suspected to be Indian hemp was recovered from them.
Edafe said investigation is ongoing.