By Onome Oghenetega
Arms-wielding gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have reportedly killed a policeman and left two others to battle for life during an attack on policemen at a checkpoint along Ugbolu-Illah road in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State.
It was learnt that the police victims were carrying out routine stop-and-search duty on the road when the incident occurred on Tuesday night.
Although local community sources claimed that three policemen were feared dead during the attack, the state police authorities claimed only one of the officers on duty was killed by their attackers while three were injured.
A source in the area told NIGER DELTA TODAY Online, “One of the policemen pulled out his gun to threatened them yet they refused to stop and eventually he released the gun but the bullet did not penetrate and immediately they stopped and moved towards the policemen.
“They shot two policemen and one of Fulani men pulled out a dagger and stabbed the third policeman to death.
“When we heard the shout we all rushed and help to carry bodies of all three police officer to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba.”
But the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa , who confirmed the incident, revealed that only one of the officers were killed, disclosing that seven suspects had been arrested as at on Wednesday.
Inuwa stated that his men responded to a distressed incident at the border between Delta and Edo states, had rescued victims of a Siena bus that was attacked by hoodlums.
He said while his men were approaching the scene, the hoodlums took to their heels, leaving the victims in pains.
Inuwa added that the police team took the victims to the hospital in Edo State only for the attackers to lay ambush for the team while they were returning from Edo State.
He said four policemen were attacked, adding that one of them died as a result of the attack while others sustained injuries.
