From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
A fierce exchange of fire between police operatives and a suspected gang of armed robbers in Warri area of Delta State has led to the death of three members of the gang.
The deceased suspects who sustained fatal injuries during the battle, gave up the ghost while being rushed to the hospital by the operatives.
Public Relations Officer of the state police command, DSP Bright Edafe who confirmed the development on Friday in a statement, stated that the incident happened on Thursday.
According to Edafe, operatives attached to ‘B’ division Warri had received a distressed call that the gang were operating along Ugborikoko/Giwa-Amu Airport Road Warri, with an unregistered black Toyota corolla car.
Edafe said operatives raced to the scene “where the hoodlums on sighting the advancing police team fired gunshots at the policemen and the team retaliated, engaging them in a serious gun duel during which three of the hoodlums were fatally wounded while other members of the gang escaped with bullet injuries.
“The injured suspects gave up the ghost while they were being taken to the hospital. Exhibits recovered include one cut-to-size locally fabricated gun, two live cartridges, an unregistered black Toyota corolla car, and eight different vehicle keys.”
Edafe also confirmed the recovery of a bag containing one pump action gun and six live cartridges, which was abandoned by a fleeing suspect by Issele-Azagba along the Asaba-Benin expressway.
He said the suspect fled when operatives of the command’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on visibility/confidence building patrol alighted.
The statement explained that the suspicious nature of the suspect, who pretended to be waiting for a vehicle, attracted the police.
“As soon as the operatives alighted from their vehicle, the suspect took to his heels abandoning the sack bag, he was chased but he escaped. Upon searching the abandoned bag, one pump action gun and six live cartridges were recovered,” he said.
He added that both cases were being investigated and that efforts were on to arrest all the fleeing suspects
