Less than 24-hour Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Babatunde Kokumo, issued an ultimatum to hoodlums who hijacked the EndSARS protest and carted away arms and other items to return them, daring armed robbers Monday night invaded the Divisional Police Headquarters at Igueben, the seat of Igueben Local Government Area of Edo state, killing two policemen, injuring many security personnel and carting away a huge cache of arms and ammunition.
The two policemen, who lost their lives to the sudden attack by the rampaging hoodlums, were Monday Asoata, an Inspector, and Esangbedo Ezekiel, a Corporal, with their bodies already deposited in an undisclosed morgue in Edo.
According to sources, the injured policemen are currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital in the state.
The sources, who pleaded anonymity said that the armed robbers arrived at the divisional police headquarters around 8 p.m., throwing dynamite into the police station to gain access and destabilise the police personnel on duty.
Amid sporadic gunshots, the hoodlums then headed for the police station’s armoury, where they allegedly looted the arms and ammunition, which they hurriedly carted away.
The late policemen made efforts to prevent the armed robbers from attacking the station but they were reportedly shot at close range, with photo of one of the dead police personnel lying face down on the floor, in a pool of blood.
Shortly after the attack and killing of the innocent policemen, residents of Igueben trooped to the streets of the ancient town, protesting the gory and horrifying acts, just as they urged Obaseki and Edo Police Commissioner, Babatunde Kokumo to ensure thorough investigation, arrest of the criminals and to ensure diligent prosecution, to serve as a deterrent to others.
The protesters attributed the “premeditated” attack on the divisional police headquarters to external invaders, which they said might have been as a result of the October 19 looting and razing of few police stations in Edo and attack on the two correctional centres in Benin, the state capital, leading to escape of 1,993 inmates, who immediately returned to crimes.
Edo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chidi Nwabuzor, a Superintendent of Police (SP), through the telephone, confirmed the attack on the divisional police headquarters.
He said: “On November 9, 2020, at about 19.30hrs, hoodlums suspected to be armed robbers, invaded the police station at Igueben. Immediately, the police personnel mobilised to repel them.
“During gun duel, one of the suspected armed robbers was shot dead, two policemen were wounded and they were taken to the hospital. One motorcycle, suspected to belonging to the robbers was confiscated by the police. No policeman was killed in the attack.
“The police are doing their best to weed out criminal elements in that axis (Igueben) of the state. As I speak, normalcy has returned to that part of Edo.”
Recall, Edo State Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Kokumo had yesterday issued a seven-day ultimatum to hoodlums who hijacked the peaceful #EndSARS protests in the state to return the stolen arms, ammunition and other items or face dire consequences.
He also promised handsome rewards for persons with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the criminal elements who were involved in the looting and to recover the stolen arms, ammunition and other valuables.
