…as state government commends Police for repelling attack
Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force, Delta State Command, have killed a suspected member of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (BIAFRA) in Oshimili north local government area of the state.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ari Mohammed Ali, made the disclosure while briefing journalists at the Command’s headquarter in Asaba, the State capital.
According to the police boss, “a police patrol team attached to Illah Division while on stop and search duty at Ogbada quarters along Illah–Akwukwu-Igbo road, three armed men suspected to be members of the proscribed indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) attacked the team.
‘The team engaged them in a fierce gun duel during which one of the hoodlums was neutralized while the other members of the gang escaped with gunshot injuries.
“One AK47 rifle with breech no 2534896 and six rounds of 7.62MM ammunition were recovered” assuring that manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang is ongoing.
Meanwhile, the State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has applauded the police for repelling an attack by unknown gunmen at Illah Community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Olisa Ifeajika, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, gave the commendation during a solidarity visit to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Illah Division, Mr Bolarinwa Alabi, and particularly lauded the DPO and his men in the division for foiling the attack.
Ifeajika told newsmen, after a meeting with the DPO at Illah, that policemen in the community demonstrated bravery by confronting the gunmen and neutraliszing one of them while the others escaped with bullet wounds.
According to him, “the officers of this division displayed the true spirit of policing and I pray that such attitude should live on among policemen in all formations.”
The governor’s spokesman who was in the company of Mr Frank Esenwa, the Peoples Democratic Party Candidate for Oshimili North State Constituency in 2023 elections, said as indigenes of the community, their visit was to commend and encourage the police in Illah for their victory over the gunmen who stormed the community at dawn.
On his part, Esenwa said that he was pleased to hear that the police were able to neutralize one of the gunmen while others escaped with bullet wounds.
“We were informed that some criminal gang tried to terrorize this community, but we thank God that the police were able to live up to their billing and one of them was killed while two escaped with bullet wounds.
“We have come in solidarity to rejoice with the police authorities and to congratulate them for their bravery.
“Going forward as leaders from this community, we will see what we can do to support the law enforcement agencies to ensure that this kind of attack doesn’t happen again.
“We need to sound a note of warning to them that this is not an IPOB territory and they should keep off this community and the entire state,” he stated.
Both men had earlier had a closed-door meeting with the DPO on the incident.
