Daring Robbers Snatch Police Van, Kill One Officer

A tragedy hit the Ekiti State Police Command on Thursday as robbers killed a policeman, identified simply as Inspector Gada, and injured another cop called Sergeant Sunday.

It was learnt that the robbers escaped with a police van in the robbery, which took place in Ilupeju, in the Oye Local Government Area of the state.

A resident, who pleaded not to be named, disclosed what happened:

“I think the policemen were returning from a patrol in the Itapa area and got to a checkpoint between Ilupeju and Oye, in front of the house of a prominent politician in this state, Bamitale Oguntoyinbo, when the robbers, who had apparently laid an ambush for them, swooped on them and rained bullets on the policemen.

“By the time the robbers were through with the onslaught, the team leader, who we know as Inspector Gada, had been killed, while Sergeant Sunday was seriously injured and rushed to a hospital. The incident happened at about 5am.”

The resident added that the robbers escaped in the policemen’s patrol van.

The state Police PRO, Alberto Adeyemi, while confirming the attack, said a police officer was killed while another one was seriously injured and “has been rushed to the Federal Medical Hospital in Ido, in the Ido-Osi area of the state.

“Meanwhile, we have commenced investigation into the incident and will ensure that we get to the root of the matter and also bring perpetrators to book.”

Recalled that the Ekiti police command lost its paymaster, Idowu Taiwo, on Monday to armed men.