Police Inspector neutralises two armed bandits in Imo

Two suspected armed bandits have been shot dead by a police inspector attached to one of the formations in Imo State.

The armed bandits in their numbers reportedly invaded the house of the Police Inspector on Thursday morning, and jumped over the perimeter wall fence into the compound at Aforukwu, Orogwe in Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State.

Recall that, a few days ago, precisely 1st of August 2022, at about 200hrs, the bandits came in a black Lexus jeep with no registration number and three motorcycles carrying two persons each, shot and killed seven persons and injured six others in a building at Orogwe in Owerri West LGA of Imo State, belonging to one Sir Chima Ogbuehi, residing in Lagos. Coincidentally, the Police Inspector lived just a pole away from where the previous attack took place.

Reacting to the development, the Imo police spokesperson, Michael Abattam said the hoodlums rushed to the flat of the Police Inspector, destroyed the iron burglary proof and front door, entered inside the flat, but were taken by surprise as the Police Inspector, who professionally placed himself at a vantage position, engaged the bandits in an aggressive gun duel.

He said the hoodlums, who were stunned and confused by the staccato sound emanating from the rifle of the police officer, took to their heels, scampering for safety, and were given a hot chase and in the process, one of them was neutralized at the spot and others escaped into the surrounding bushes fatally injured.

According to him, “The Police Inspector did not relent, he quickly alerted the Divisional Police Officer of Ogbaku Division, who mobilized and rushed to the scene.

“On arrival, they positioned themselves strategically and professionally and combed the surrounding bushes where a corpse, two locally made pistols, and an identity card were recovered.

“The recovered identity card belongs to one of the neutralized bandits in the name of Chukwuemzie Chukwu ‘m’, a native of Atta in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State and an electrician.

“Meanwhile, the two corpses have been evacuated and deposited at the Federal Medical Center, Owerri, while concerted efforts are being made to arrest the other bandits that escaped. Since they cannot go far because of the various degrees of bullet injuries they sustained.

“Consequently, the Command is using this medium to call on the good people of the state to report any person seen treating bullet wounds or hiding within their communities to report such person to the nearest police station or call the Command’s emergency control numbers 08034773600 or 08098880197.”