Police operatives have killed a suspected armed robber identified as Emmanuel Johnson in the Ekpoma area of Edo State.
Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Jennifer Iwegbu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the robber was among the five suspects that invaded Mandela hostel, at Gabriel Street, Ihumudumu, Ekpoma.
Following the distress call received in Esan west Local Government Area of the state, she said police operatives from the Ekpoma Divisional Headquarters were drafted to the hostel.
“On Monday 15/08/2022 at about 0330hrs, some armed robbers numbering 5 while invading One Mandela hostel, at Gabriel Street, Ihumudumu, Ekpoma were intercepted by Operatives of the Command attached to Ekpoma Divisional headquarters following a distress call,” the statement read.
“Upon receipt of the information, the Operatives immediately mobilized in collaboration with the Vigilantes and swung into action. On sighting the team of Operatives, the robbers opened fire on the police which led to a gun duel, not being able to withstand the superior firepower of the police, they scampered for safety with various degrees of bullet injuries.
“However, one of the hoodlums who was later identified as Emmanuel Johnson ‘M’ about 24yrs old, was neutralized during the gun duel, meanwhile frantic effort is ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the gang.”
The police spokesperson stated that the State Police Command is making frantic efforts to arrest other fleeing members of the gang.
Items recovered from the deceased armed robber and his fleeing gang members include one locally made cut-to-size single barrel gun, five live cartridges, four expended cartridges and one Laptop.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police Edo State, Abutu Yaro, asked members of the public to continue to provide the police with useful and credible information on criminal activities across the state.
He assured them that the police are combat-ready to tackle any crime before it happens, appealing that anyone who notices any suspicious person(s) treating bullet wounds should lodge a complaint to the nearest police station.