Paul Osuyi, Asaba
GUNMEN suspected to be herdsmen have killed a police inspector, simply identified as Mohammad, during a fierce exchange of fire in a criminal hideout around Uvwiamughe community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The inspector was reportedly killed during an unsuccessful rescue operation to free multiple kidnapped victims from the grips of hoodlums who have converted the Uvwiamughe axis of the Ughelli/Agbarho expressway to operational base.
They said to be terrorising motorists plying the road, dispossessing passengers of their belongings and kidnapping them at will.
Recently, over eight persons were said to have taken hostage in one swoop by the gun wielding men, allegedly in connivance with some locals.
The corpse of the deceased police officer was found on Thursday in the bushes of Uvwianughe after the gun duel the previous day.
Confirming the death of his officer, the state Commissioner of Police, Adeyinka Adeleke said the police inspector was killed when operatives stormed the criminal hideout to free some kidnapped victims.
According to him, during the rescue operation, the armed wielding gunmen attacked the inspector.
“They went to rescue some NNPC officials that were kidnapped in the incident you claimed several persons were kidnapped. They went to rescue the victims.
“It was during the rescue that the inspector died. They were two. They went to rescue them inside the bush and it was in the course of the rescue that he died,” he said.