From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Two suspected members of a gang of armed robbers at the weekend met their waterloo during a fierce exchange of gunfire with operatives of Delta State Police Command.
The deceased suspects were fatally wounded during the gun battle and were subsequently abandoned in a tricycle by two other members of the gang who fled into the bush.
They reportedly died at the hospital where operatives had taken them following gunshot injuries they had sustained.
Acting Public Relations Officer of the Command DSP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the incident on Monday in Asaba, said the four-man gang had just snatched two exotic cars – a gold-coloured Toyota Camry with registration number RSH 291 AW and a custom coloured Lexus 350 SUV with registration number WWR 737 KL.
Edafe said acting on a tip-off, operatives on a stop and search mission along Egbo-Otokutu road, chased the gang members who later abandoned the snatched vehicles at the community apparently for mechanical fault.
He said the hoodlums then hijacked a tricycle to facilitate their escape as the operatives were closing in on them.
‘But the gang opened fire on the police team, and in the ensuing gun battle, the hoodlums were forced to abandon the tricycle.
‘Two of the hoodlums escaped and ran into the bush while two others were fatally wounded and found in the tricycle with gunshot injuries.
‘One AK-47 rifle with breech number not visible, an empty magazine, N200,000, gold jewellery was recovered.
‘The suspects who sustained gunshot injuries were rushed to the hospital where they gave up the ghost while receiving treatment.
‘The DPO Otu-Jeremi Division again led a combined team of police/vigilante to further comb the bush for the possible arrest of the other fleeing members of the gang but in the process recovered another AK 47 rifle with breech number NK344397 with two magazines and three live ammunition,’ he said.
Saying that the manhunt for the fleeing gang members has been intensified, Edafe confirmed the arrest of two persons with a large quantity of substance suspected to be Indian hemp in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area.
He gave their names as Cyril Enishoke (20) and 32-year old woman Oghogho Joseph, adding that the matter was being investigated.