Police sergeant shot dead while chasing robbers

A yet-to-be identified police sergeant was yesterday sent to his early grave in Ado Ekiti while chasing some suspected robbers that had robbed a fuel station and escaped.

An eyewitness account at the scene of the incident revealed that the robbers had earlier robbed a petrol station along Fajuyi Secretariat Road and were escaping through the new Iyin–Ilawe Road when the police officer, in a white Hilux van, sighted them and gave them a lone chase.

The eyewitness said the police van had trailed the bandits up to NTA junction, where they were said to have waited and blocked the way in readiness for a gun duel, and as soon as they sighted the Hilux, they opened fire. The bullets hit the driver of the vehicle and he died on the spot after which the robbers drove off. The incident was said to have caused pandemonium within that vicinity.

Workers coming to the Ekiti State House of Assembly and the state secretariat and motorists going to Ilawe road were said to have scampered to safety to prevent being caught in the web of gunfire.

“Some of the motorists had to take a detour and escape the scene because the sound of the guns caused panic in the area,” the witness stated.

Police officers from the state police command later visited the scene to evacuate the body of the slain officer and deposited it in the mortuary of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital.

The police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, said: “The attack on the police officer could have been a reaction of criminal elements to the cleansing operation being carried out by the command. You know that since our new Police Commissioner, Asuquo Amba, came on board, he introduced a Joint Task Force carrying out ‘Operation Make Ekiti Safe’.

“Since that operation was introduced, many criminals had either been arrested or killed in the process.

“The men carrying out the operation were drawn from the Army, Police, Immigration and NSCDC. They were diligent in their duties and this might be one of the actions of the hoodlums to frustrate.

“We are assuring our people that we remain focused. We won’t be bogged down by this incident and we shall trail the perpetrators of this crime and make sure they face the full weight of the law.”