Gunmen said to be riding in a black, unregistered and heavily-tinted Lexus SUV, Friday, opened fire on a police checkpoint in Edo state, killing a serving Police Inspector attached to the Ekiadolor Area Command.
The attack reportedly occurred when the SUV approached the checkpoint and allegedly refused to stop after being flagged down for a routine stop-and-search operation.
According to spokesman for the state police command, SP. Moses Yamu, the suspicious conduct of the occupants prompted the police team to make further efforts to subject the vehicle to standard security checks.
”In the course of the encounter, one of the occupants reportedly drew a firearm and shot the Inspector at close range before the attackers sped away, leaving the officer fatally wounded, ” Yamu added.
The spokesman who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday said the command has launched an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators, deploying all available intelligence and operational assets to track the fleeing suspects.
He quoted the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, who described the act as a heinous attack on law enforcement and vowed that the culprits would be brought to justice.
The statement urged residents to remain vigilant and report any sighting of a vehicle matching the description to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency lines: 08037646272 or 08077773721.
It further appealed for cooperation with security agencies, especially during the yuletide season, as they make efforts to safeguard lives and property across the state.
