The Nation Newspaper

Tag: gun duel

  • One killed in Bayelsa as hoodlums engage soldiers in gun duel 

    A suspected armed robber was killed in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, yesterday in a gun battle between his gang and troops of the 16th Brigade of the Nigerian Army.

    A statement signed by Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 16th Brigade, Jonah Danjuma, said the gunmen numbering seven first opened fire on the troops.

    He said one of the hoodlums attempted to disarm a soldier, but was neutralised by the troops.

    He said: “Troops of 16 Brigade Nigerian Army on routine patrol were attacked  at Swali market area in Yenagoa metropolis by gunmen on  February 22.

    “The gunmen numbering about seven opened fire on own troops. One of the bandits attempted to snatch a riffle of one of the soldiers. In the process, he was neutralized while others took to their heels. Efforts are on to track t“There are allegations that these criminals have been robbing people around Swali market for sometime now. Unfortunately, luck ran out of them when troops closed in on them and  recovered their weapons”.

    Read also: Mahmood’s thankless job and sore losers

    He named the items recovered from them as one locally-made pistol; two locally made 9mm ammunition; one Itel mobile phone and the sum of N8,350.

    He said: “The brigade wishes to reassure the good people of Bayelsa and its environs of the safety of their lives and property.  Also, criminal elements brandishing arms are advised to turn them in to security agencies or be ready to face the full wrath of the law”.

  • Police kill suspected robber in gun duel

    •Final year Bayelsa varsity student arrested

    A gang of suspected robbers, including a final year student of Political Science at Niger Delta University (NDU), Amassoma, Bayelsa State yesterday engaged the police in a gun duel.

    One of the suspects, identified as Selepamodei Ogioi, 23, was reportedly gunned down by the police.

    The Nation learnt that another suspect, Kimipanipre Franklin, aka Castro, 22, a final year Political Science student of NDU, was injured.

    Police spokesman Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the incident, said Castro confessed that they were members of Bobos cult.

    He said the third suspect was at large, adding that efforts were on to arrest him.

    Butswat attributed the arrest to the counter-security measure of the Commissioner of Police codenamed, Operation Safer Bayelsa (OSB).

    He said the operation was recording gains, as officers were determined to tackle crimes.

    Narrating the incident, Butswat said: “On April 8, about 0200hrs, the command control room alerted the Azikoro Divisional Police Anti-Robbery Team that robbers were operating behind Azikoro Health Care Centre, Azikoro, Yenagoa.

    “The team responded swiftly and met about three daredevil robbers on the spot. The robbers engaged the police in a gun duel. Police exchanged fire, shot one of the robbers and injured another.

    “The team recovered one locally-made cut-to-size gun, two live cartridges, eight phones, jewellery and cash.

    “The victims, Iprebo Ayebanengiyefa ‘m’ 40; Awubare Ife ‘m’ 39 and Sunny Peter ‘m’ , 42, have identified their phones among those recovered from the suspects.

    “Investigation has led to the arrest of Favour Wisdom ‘f’, 16, the girlfriend of the deceased suspect, who is allegedly their armourer.

    “The public should partner the police by providing information to ensure a safer Bayelsa.”

     

     

  • Robbery suspect dies in gun duel

    Robbery suspect dies in gun duel

    Policemen attached to the Ijanikin Division, Ojo, a Lagos suburb, yesterday killed a  robbery suspect in a gun duel. Arms and ammunition were recovered from him.

    It was gathered that the suspect was a member of a five-man gang, which operated with a motorcycle with registeration  number LAR929VW.

    They were said to have held residents of Oto/Awori hostage before a patrol team stormed the area.

    It was learnt that a gun duel ensued which led to the death of one of the suspects. Others fled with gunshot wounds.

    Confirming the incident, the command’s spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) said two locally made pistols with five unexpended cartridges were recovered.

    He said the suspects also abandoned their motorcycle, which the police also recovered.

    “The corpse has been evacuated to Badagry General Hospital Morgue for autopsy. Effort is being made to arrest other fleeing hoodlums,” said Famous-Cole.

  • Panic as land grabbers clash in Festac

    Panic as land grabbers clash in Festac

    There was pandemonium at Festac Town in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, on Friday morning after some hoodlums engaged in gun duel.

    The hoodlums, suspected to be land grabbers were said to have clashed around Fifth Avenue, allegedly shooting sporadically.

    It was gathered that the sound of sporadic gunshots frightened residents who assumed that bank robbers have stormed Festac Town again.

    Rumour soon spread across the state that armed robbers had besieged the Fourth avenue branches of Diamond and First City Monument Banks (FCMB).

    Although the broadcast message claimed an innocent citizen was killed by stray bullet, security sources dismissed the story.

    “There was no bank robbery in Festac. Nothing of such happened.  The only thing that happened was that some land grabbers engaged in gun duel around Fifth Avenue. They were fighting among themselves and policemen were deployed to the area and calm restored,” said a policeman.

    A vigilante in the area said some policemen from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and the Festac Police Division were deployed when the rumour of bank robbery went viral, adding that when they got to the banks, businesses were going on smoothly.

  • JTF, Boko Haram in gun duel in Potiskum

    JTF, Boko Haram in gun duel in Potiskum

    Potiskum , the commercial centre of Yobe State, yesterday witnessed another gun battle following the explosion of a bomb believed to have been thrown at security forces by the Boko Haram.

    Reports said many people, including a policeman and a soldier may have died in the fighting which lasted over three hours.

    The Joint Task Force (JTF) could not confirm the number of casualties.

    In Mubi, the Adamawa State town where students were killed last month, there were massive explosions.

    The number of the dead could not be ascertained.

    All the major roads, including the Kano-Maiduguri highway, were cordoned off as motorists and passengers in luxury buses from Lagos, were compelled to suspend their movement for more than four hours.

    Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman Lt. Eli Lazarus said it acted about an alleged plan of the Boko Haram (western education is a sin) sect to carry out co-ordinated attacks in Potiskum.

    Lt. Lazarus said in a statement: “In the early hours of today (Wednesday), men of JTF, acting on information, cordoned off a suspected terrorist hideout in Anguwan Jaji area of Potiskum town in Yobe State. In the process of searching the area, improvised explosive devices were thrown at our troops.

    “Exchange of fire between men of JTF and the suspected terrorists followed. Some arms were recovered and the search is still ongoing.”

    The statement listed some of the recovered items in the operation as follows: 2 AK 47 rifles, 3 AK 47 (burnt), 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade 7 (RPG 7), 3 RPG 7 chargers, 2 bullet proof jackets, 1,367 (7.62mm) ammunition, 10 unexploded IEDs, 42 assorted rifle magazines and one blue Honda Civic car.

    The others are: Two Toyota Hilux vans, one Motorcycle, two generating sets, six spare tyres, one VHS video cassette, one hard drive, one 1 laptop, several sim cards, one gas cylinder and four vehicle number plates.

    A resident of the area said: “I believ many lives were lost.”

    Men of the JTF with riffles and Armoured Personnel Carriers were seen coming out of the raided area but people were prevented