Two suspected bandits who engaged operatives of Ogun State Police Command in a gun duel in the early hours of Saturday, August 21,2021, were halted as they were fatally shot.
The encounter came about as the operatives were combing the bush at Bere forest, Onigaari area, on Lagos-Ibadan highway in search of kidnappers terrorizing different parts of the state.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer in the command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, who made this known in a statement, the face-off with the bandits occurred after information was received by the command from members of the public that the AK-47 rifle-bearing hoodlums numbering about six were sighted in the forest, possibly waiting for the appropriate time to strike.
“Upon the information, the Commissioner of Police, Edward Awolowo Ajogun, quickly deployed the command’s tactical teams, coordinated by the Divisional Police Officer, Owode Egba division, CSP Olusola Oniyiku, to the forest in search of the hoodlums.
“While the combing was going on, the hoodlums, on sighting the policemen, opened fire on them, and gun battle ensued. At the end of the encounter, one of the bandits was shot dead on the spot, while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
“On searching the forest further, one of the bandits with bullet wounds was arrested in the bush but gave up the ghost few minutes after,” the PPRO intimated.
He said that two AK-47 rifles with breech numbers 1983NF1040 and 1987-3-CA-1212, as well as five rounds of ammunition, were recovered from them.
Oyeyemi noted that the latest rifle recovery was an addition to the two earlier found with bandits by the command, making a total of four recovered rifles within a period of two weeks.
Also retrieved from them were sachets of tramadol and assorted charms.
The police spokesman said that the Commissioner of Police had ordered a massive manhunt for the remaining members of the gang, just as he appealed to members of the public, especially hospitals not to hesitate in informing the police in case anyone with gunshot injuries is sighted in their areas.
Ajogun assured the good people of Ogun State that the command would not rest on its oars until the state is rid of criminal elements.
