Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
By Ovedhe Hezekiah
DELTA STATE – Gunmen have shot dead a mobile policeman in Jakpa, Uvwie local government of Delta state, who was on special duty.
The mobile policeman was shot dead on Thursday along Jakpa road and his rifle carted away.
Residents of Jakpa community have lived in fear since the incident happened.
The murdered policeman, identified as Inspector Saibu Mohammed, from Mopol 47, Zaria, was attached to Synergy Centre, a popular event place along Jakpa axis which is also used by Master’s Place Church as a worship centre.
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An eyewitness disclosed that the officer had crossed to the other side of the road directly opposite the Synergy Centre at about 10:48a.m to have his breakfast in a makeshift restaurant located within the premises of a major liquor distributing outlet.
The unknown gunmen numbering three including the driver were reported to have hit the street, made a U-turn to where the victim was eating; then one of them held him down to forcibly take away his gun.
According to an eyewitness, “sensing that he could be overpowered, the attacker quickly called for reinforcement from his colleagues who were seated in a car nearby.
“Following a distress call of ‘shoot am, shoot am, shoot am’, one of the hoodlums immediately opened a bag containing a cut-to-size rifle, alighted from the car and shot the policeman in the head at close range.
“When the policeman fell down, his assailant picked his AK 47 rifle and immediately bolted from the scene.”
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Acting swiftly to a distress call, Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Ekpan Division, Police Superintendent (SP), Asanaenyi Ibok, mobilised his men to the location where he conducted preliminary investigations.
He immediately dispatched his men to take the deceased to Ekpan Central hospital mortuary nearby to have him properly identified and documented.
Ibok assured that no stone would be left unturned in bringing the perpetrators of the dastardly act to justice, while also reaffirming the force’s commitment to recovering the stolen rifle for the Nigeria Police.
The DPO also warned criminal elements, especially armed robbers, cultists and kidnappers who are still operating within the area, that they will soon be caught.
