Operatives of Ekpan Divisional undercover surveillance patrol team have killed a suspected armed robber while one cut-to-size double-barrelled gun with two live cartridges were recovered from the hoodlum.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the incident occurred on May 31, 2024, at about 21.40 hours.
Police sources who spoke with our correspondent said that the operatives while on a routine patrol along the Army Barracks Link Road, off Refinery Road, Ekpan, were double-crossed by a tricycle with three occupants in their usual style of robbing innocent citizens but on noticing they were policemen, the hoodlums took to their heels.
However, the police gave them a hot chase during which one of the suspects was arrested with a black bag. One cut-to-size double-barrelled gun with two live cartridges was recovered in the bag.
Upon interrogation, PUNCH Metro gathered that the arrested suspect stated that the two other suspects who escaped were his gang members, and they usually double-crossed their victims, robbed them, and sometimes kidnapped them.
Following his confession, the suspect was taken to their hideouts, along the NNPC Link Road, where he jumped into the bridge in an attempt to escape but was maimed by the police operatives.
The suspect was subsequently taken to the Ekpan General Hospital for medication but was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.
The police said efforts to arrest other fleeing members of the gang were ongoing.
In a similar development, on Sunday, at about 2315hrs, the Divisional Police Officer, Okpanam Division, reportedly received a distress call that some young men numbering seven came with two motorcycles and robbed one young man (name withheld).
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer for Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, said the DPO led operatives to the scene where the suspects on sighting the DPO and his men took to their heels.
Six of the suspects escaped while one of them identified as Emeka Okafor was arrested and the motorcycle was recovered.
The police statement noted that the manhunt for the fleeing suspects was ongoing.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, has commended the DPO, Okpanam Division “for his swift response and dedication to duty” urging officers and men of the command to do the same for their areas of responsibility to be peaceful.”