Operatives of the Edo State Police Command on Friday shot dead a suspected armed robber at Oluku bypass, in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect was said to have been killed during a shootout between some policemen and an armed robbery syndicate specialized in highway robbery.

It was learnt that the deceased robber and other members of the gang had barricaded the bypass and held a group of travellers captive at about 3am.

However, the police were said to have received a distress call‎ over the armed robbery operation and went to the scene in an armoured vehicle.

The suspected robbers were said to have immediately opened fire on the vehicle but later fled into the bush with injuries when the police responded with gunshots.

Five travellers were said to have been rescued by the police.

A source said that some security operatives later conducted a search ‎around the scene of the incident where the body of the deceased robber was recovered.

“The police went back to the bush and started tracing the blood stain. It was on that note that they (police) discovered that one of them‎ died inside the bush,” the source added.

The Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, while confirming the incident, said that it was part of a mop-up plan to flush out criminals from the state ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.

“It is part of our mop-up operation. As the election is in view, we need to keep‎ crime down so that the criminals will not have the opportunity to perpetrating violence.

“So, kudos to the men (policemen) who did the job and it is a continuous operation,” the state police commissioner said.

 

Source: Punchng.com

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