One Dies As Police, Robbers Battle Over Vehicle

One person suspected to be a member of a robbery gang died on Saturday after a shootout with the police in Ogun State.

It was learnt that the policemen, who were attached to the anti-robbery team of the Mowe Police Division, had engaged the gang in a gun battle after the robbers allegedly snatched a Toyota Sienna Bus.

It was gathered that the vehicle marked, LAGOS LSD 339 CH, was snatched at the Redemption Youth Camp on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway around 9.21pm.

Ogun State Police Command’s spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the incident, said the area of the robbery was close to a pin-down point of the Mowe police team

He said, “The robbers had shot and injured the owner of the car who lived in the Aguda area of Lagos State before snatching the Toyota Bus.

“It was the robbers’ gun shots that attracted the policemen on duty near the scene and they gave the robbers a hot chase.”

The policemen were said to have engaged the robbers in a shootout that lasted for several minutes.

It was learnt that the robbers later abandoned the vehicle and fled into the bush.

Adejobi said, “The robbers were overpowered by the police and were propelled to abandon the vehicle before they fled into the nearby bush with bullet wounds.

“The police team embarked on a search around the scene and discovered the corpse of one of the robbers riddled with bullet wounds.”

The police spokesman said the injured owner had been taken to a hospital for proper treatment, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, had linked the foiling of the robbery to the proactive measures put in place by the command.

“He has directed the Area Commander, Sagamu Area Command, ACP Lanre Bankole, who controls the area, to work with the divisional police officers in charge of Sagamu, Mowe and Ibafo to intensify efforts in arresting the fleeing robbers and others that terrorise motorists on the expressway,” Adejobi added.