Robbers kill policeman in Ekiti

A man identified to be a policeman was yesterday shot dead in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, while trailing robbers who had attacked a business premises.

The Nation gathered that the hoodlums had robbed a petrol station on Fajuyi-Secretariat Road and were escaping through the old Iyin-Ilawe Road when the police officer in a white Hilux van sighted them and gave them a hot chase.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the police van trailed the robbers to NTA junction, where they were said to have waited and blocked the way in readiness for a gun duel.

“When the police van chased them to that point, the robbers used their vehicle to block the way and rained bullets on the car.

“The bullets hit the driver of the vehicle and he died on the spot, after which the robbers entered their car and sped off,” he said.

Police spokesman Caleb Ikechukwu said: “The attack on the police officer could have been a reaction of criminals to the cleansing operation being carried out by the command.

“You know that since our new police commissioner, Mr. Asuquo Amba, came on board, he has set up a Joint Task Force to carry out Operation Make Ekiti Safe, and many criminals have either been arrested or killed.”