There was tension as bandits suspected to be kidnappers shot a Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Suleiman Muhammed, attached to Igarra police station in Akoko-Edo local government area of Edo State.
Trouble started on Tuesday August 1st 2021, as the hooligans shot the police officer along Auchi-Igarra-Ibillo Road around 7:00pm.
A vigilante group later came to rescue the injured officer.
A member of the vigilante group from Igarra, who craved anonymity, said around 3:00pm, the DPO informed them that suspected kidnappers were blocking the road and that they went there to chase them away.
He said the DPO after inspecting the change of guard in the evening, left for Auchi, where his family resides, unknown to him that the criminals had laid ambush near Sasaro.
“The DPO was shot in the eye, arm and stomach. He may have been shot with AK 47 as we recovered bullets and other cartridges from the scene of the attack.”
“On Wednesday morning, we went back to the scene and we recovered used bullets and cartridges including those of AK 47,” he added.
The police spokesperson in the state, Kontongs Bello, could not be reached for comment as his phone line was switched off when our reporter called.
