Suspected Hoodlums Snatch Two Police Riffles In Delta

Two police rifles were reportedly carted away by bandits during an attack on policemen, who were said to be on a stop – and – search duty in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

BIGPEN ONLINE gathered that the riffles were seized from a police inspector and two rank and files attached to the Delta State Police Command, State Headquarters, Asaba.

They were reportedly attacked on Saturday night at NIPPI Point around the Inter-bau roundabout by ASCON Oil fuel station in the state capital.

It was learned that the hoodlums who apparently ambushed the policemen, descended on them after about 15 minutes that the Police Patrol Van left with the driver and one of the officers leaving only three officers behind at the NIPPI Point.

Police source disclosed that the victims sustained deep machete cuts from the hoodlums who allegedly disarmed two of the police officers.

The source stated that the first victim just finished directing a driver making phone call in a parked vehicle to leave the vicinity to another area when about four of the suspected bandits attacked him with machete and made away with his riffle.

Furthermore, our dependable source disclosed that as he was being attacked, another group of hoodlums also attacked Inspector Francis whose gun was also snatched.

“The only lucky one of them was the police corporal who was said to escaped with his own riffle but also suffered machete cuts in his hand”.

The policemen that were supposed to be on duty at the NIPPI point were about seven but only five reported for duty that very day.

Our source disclosed, “while the five officers were manning the Inter-Bua Nippi Point, one Sergeant Azuka called the Team Leader known as Inspector Francis to send the vehicle to State Headquarters to convey someone to Area Command’s Quarter which made the Patrol Van driver and one officer to leave their duty post.

The source further said, “the two other officers that failed to turn up at duty post were on an illegal duty at one Emirate Hotels, where the Station Officer (SO) is benefiting free accommodation. Hence only five reported for duty before two were called off to remain three.

When contacted, in apparent shock of how journalists knew about the ugly incident which was being kept from the press, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Adeyinka Adeleke denied that the incident ever happened.

Adeleke retorted when told about the incident; “It is not true, How come you’re confirming to me?”