Delta: Police Engage Dreaded Armed Robbers In Gun Battle, One Dead, Two Others Escape With Bullet Wounds

By Daniel Dafe

Police in Warri, Delta State, led by the Divisional Police Officer of A Division, Warri, CSP T.Y Mahmud, on Thursday dealt a heavy blow on the dreaded Imomotimi daredevil armed robbery group.

According to a statement by the police spokesman in the state, DSP Bright Edafe, CSP Mahmud led men of the Rapid Respond Team on an observation/visibility patrol along Warri Sapele road by Warri club, when information got to the DPO that a three man armed robbery gang robbed an unknown victim and that they were operating in a black Toyota Corolla car with registration number RBC 218 BL grey inn color.

According to the statement, “the team extended their patrol further with a view to arresting the gang. The armed robbers on sighting the police fired at the men and during the gun duel, one of the armed robbers sustained serious gunshot injury while two others escaped with bullet wounds.

“The injured suspect was rushed to the hospital where he gave up the ghost while receiving treatment. The suspect before he died gave his name as Andrew and admitted to be a member of the dreaded Imomotimi group, a dare devil gang that has been on the command’s wanted list.

“One locally made pistol loaded with a life cartridge, one hundred and thirty thousand naira, one small nokia phone and the above stated toyota corolla were recovered.”

In another development, “on 15/09/2021 at about 0100hrs, Isiokolo Divisional patrol team in conjunction with vigilante while on stop and search along Okpara – Okurekpo Road, Isiokolo flagged down a lady’s motor cycle with three (3) passengers.”

DSP Edafe added that “upon reasonable suspicion, they were searched and during the search, one cut-to- size locally made double barrel gun was recovered from one of the passengers named Oghenenyerhovwo Solomon ‘m’ of Uruegbe street, okpara.”

ALSO READ: British High Commissioner’s Visit, A Step In The Right Direction – Maianguwa

The suspect was promptly arrested and the motorcycle impounded while the other two partners in crime escaped into the bush.

Efforts to arrest the two suspects at large are being intensified.

Furthermore, the police said that on the 13/09/2021 between 0025hrs and 0430hrs, raider operatives raided black spots in Koko Oghara and some areas in Sapele that are known to be hideouts for some notorious cult related activities.

Adding that “during the raid, one suspected cultist, Rukevwe Afakpor ‘m’ 29yrs old was arrested and one (1) locally made double barrel gun and three (3) live cartridges were recovered from him.”