19th October, 2015
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Three suspected bank robbers were last Friday shot dead in Warri by operatives of Delta State Police Command.
The late robbery suspects were said to have terrorized banks and other business interests in Warri and its environs before they were gunned down during a fierce exchange of fire with police operatives.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Alkali Baba Usman who paraded the corpses of the deceased suspects before journalists on Monday in Asaba, said the achievement was part of the command’s resolve to rid the state of hoodlums in the ’ember’ months.
Usman disclosed that the police had received information that the gang had concluded plans to massively launch attack on business concerns along Apala Road in Warri where the police quickly mobilized to ambush the hoodlums.
He said on sighting the police, the hoodlums opened fire and in the ensuing exchange of fire, the hoodlums fell to the superior fire power of the police.
According to the police boss, items recovered from the dead suspects include two AK47 rifles with numbers 562538090 and 562623141; AK49 rifle number 1968Kh9372; K2 rifle number 061487; 43 rounds of AK ammunition; and a Vento car with registration number AE 681 BKW.
Also paraded by the Police Commissioner were two suspected armed robbers said to be members of a four-man gang said to be terrorizing Aladja and its environs in Udu Local Government Area of the state.
Members of the gang were alleged to have sometimes on Octobe 1, “invaded a sand beach owned by one Oluwaseun Adebayo at Aladja, tied up the night guards and removed parts of the dredgers valued at N2 million.
“The two suspects including one Ovie Onodjae and Zachaeus Ekakite of Ugbolo village in Okpe Local Government Area were arrested following a tip-off while some of the stolen parts were recovered, adding that investigating was on-going with a view to arresting other members of the gang,” Usman said.
Besides, the Police boss further paraded a three-man gang of car master key syndicate who were arrested along Airport Road, Warri while attempting to open a parked car with a master key.
He said when the suspects were searched on the spot, two master keys, charms and N419,000.00 were recovered, noting that investigation was still on going.
The suspects who admitted to the crime, told our correspondent that they use the master key to open car doors and remove vital parts, denying that they do not steal the vehicles which they open as the keys cannot start the ignition of any car.