One dies as robbers engage cops in shoot-out

A suspected armed robber was killed during a gun duel between men of the Ogun State Police Command and a gang of armed robbers on the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode Expressway.

The police clashed with the armed robbers who were robbing travellers on the highway around 2:30 am on Friday.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

Oyeyemi said the police got a distress call that armed robbers, numbering about seven, blocked the road around the South-Western University and were dispossessing people of their belongings.

He said, “The Divisional Police Officer, Odogbolu Division, SP Awoniyi Adekunle, and his men who were on a joint patrol with a team of military men, received a distress call that armed robbers numbering about seven have blocked the road around South-Western University, and were dispossessing people of their belongings.

“Upon the distress call, the DPO and his team moved to the scene. But as soon as the armed robbers sighted them, they engaged them in a gun duel which lasted for about 45 minutes.

“At the end of the encounter, one of the robbers was arrested with severe bullet wounds while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds. The arrested suspect gave up the ghost on the way to the hospital.”

The PPRO however said the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, commended the quick response and bravery of his men.

Oyeyemi said the CP directed that the entire area be properly combed to apprehend the escaped members of the gang.

He added, “The CP also appealed to members of the public, especially hospitals, to alert the police, if anybody with gunshot injury is seen in their area.”