By Francis Sadhere

The Delta State Police Command has shot one suspected armed robber dead and injured one during a gun battle that ensued between the police and the armed robbers.

Solomon Arase, Inspector General of Police.

The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu who stated this in a press statement made available to our correspondent in Warri, said the corpse of the armed robber was found in the bush during a search around the bush with the aid of the vigilante men after the gun duel.

According to the state PPRO, the Police in Abraka Division had engaged the armed men in hot pursuit after they had received information that three armed men operating in a Toyota Camry car with registration number PKE 694 HB in front of GTB, Abraka, had robbed one Nenegi Ayebainaemi, a female student of Novena University, Amai of her bag containing two hundred thousand naira.

She said, “On receipt of the report patrol team mobilized and gave the hoodlums hot pursuit up to Oviere-Ovu village along Warri road where the armed robbers alighted from the vehicle, ran into the bush and engaged the patrol men in a gun duel. In the process one of the hoodlums identified as one Abel Omagboruko ‘m’, aged 27yrs of Igun village was shot and arrested while others escaped with bullet wound.

“On a further search of the bush with vigilante men the corpse of one Oke ‘m’ (surname unknown) was found. The said Oke has been identified by the wounded suspect as a member of the criminal gang, while the victim has identified both suspects as those who robbed her.”

She added that items recovered from the suspect included one cut-to-size double barrel gun, the victim’s bag, phone, the sum of N42,000.00 and the said Toyota Camry car Reg. No. KPE 694 HB.

While noting that the injured suspect is receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital, efforts are on to arrest the third member of the gang now at large.

According the DSP Kalu, preliminary investigation had revealed that the said Toyota Camry was earlier snatched from its owner on gun point at Orerokpe.