Ben Dunno, Warri
The reign of terror unleashed on police operatives in Delta State by gunmen continued yesterday as a mobile policeman on special duty was shot dead at a close range along Jakpa road in Uvwie Local Government Area.
The decreased mobile policeman, Inspector Saibu Mohammed, from Molpol 47, Zaria, was attached to Synergy Centre, a popular event place along Jakpa axis and also used by a church as worship centre.
Witnesses disclosed that the deceased had crossed to the other side of the road directly opposite the Synergy Centre at about 10.48am to have his breakfast in a makeshift restaurant located within the premises of a major beer distribution outlet.
The assailants, numbering three, including the driver, were reported to have entered the street, made a U-turn to where the victim was eating and one of them held him down to forcefully take his gun.
According to one of the witnesses, “sensing that he could be over powered, the attacker quickly called for a back up from his members, who were seated in a nearby car close to the spot where he was struggling to disposess him of his rifle.
“Following the distress call, one of them immediately opened a bag containing a cut to size rifle, got down from the car, moved closer to the policeman and shot him on the head.”
While the policeman fell down in a pool of his blood, his assailant made away with his AK 47 rifle and immediately drove away from the scene.
Acting swiftly to the distress call from the scene of the incident, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ekpan Division, Asanaenyi Ibok, mobilised his men to the location where he conducted preliminary findings.
He immediately dispatched his men to take the deceased to the mortuary of the nearby Ekpan Central hospital for proper identification and documention.
Ibok, however, assured that no stone would be left unturned in bringing the perpetrators of the dastardly act to justice while also reaffirming commitment to recovering the stolen rifle for the police.
The DPO also went ahead to warn criminal elements, especially robbers, cultists and kidnappers who are still operating within his coverage areas to start running out as fast as they could as he would henceforth make his division very unconducive for them to operate.
The offence committed is punishable under Sections 230, 245, 251 and 252 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.