Gunmen invade police station in Edo, kill 2 officers, loot armoury

Armed men have attacked the divisional police headquarters at Igueben, Edo State, carting away a large number of arms and ammunition and injuring two police officers in the process.

The two police officers, one inspector of police and a corporal, who were badly injured during the attack, were said to be receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

It was learnt  that the suspected armed robbers on Tuesday came to the police station at about 8 p.m. on Monday and threw an object, believed to be dynamite, into the station before gaining access.

Following the explosion, the armed men, immediately they gained access to the building, headed for the armoury where the arms and ammunition were stolen.

Initial reports indicated that the two police officers died in the attack and their bodies deposited in the mortuary, however, the Edo State police command public relations officer, Chidi Nwabuzor said the officers were only wounded but not dead.

The attack, it was further gathered, had sparked serious protest in the locality as hundreds of youth have taken to the streets, calling on the government to probe the attack, which they believed was carried out by outsiders.

However, Mr Nwabuzor, in his reaction said, “On November 9, 2020 at about 19.30hrs, hoodlums suspected to be armed robbers invaded the police station at Igueben. Immediately, the police personnel mobilised to repel them

“During the gun duel, one of the suspected armed robbers was shot dead, two policemen were wounded and they were taken to the hospital. One motorcycle, suspected to belonging to the robbers was confiscated by the police. No police officer was killed in the attack,” the Edo State police spokesman added.

He assured that the police were doing their best to weed out criminal elements in that axis of the state capital, adding that normalcy had returned to that part of the state.