Posted by By Eugene Agha on
No fewer than six suspected armed robbers who have converted the Lekki-Epe expressway into a safe haven lost their lives yesterday in a gun duel with Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS).
No fewer than six suspected armed robbers who have converted the Lekki-Epe expressway into a safe haven lost their lives yesterday in a gun duel with Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS).
FSARS Police Commissio-ner, Mr. Emmanuel Ezeozue, told THISDAY that the robbers had earlier on mounted an unofficial road block along the expressway.
The aim of mounting the road block, according him, was to disposess unsuspecting members of the public of their belonging.
''The gang would flag down an on-coming vehicle at gun point, if the occupants refuses to stop they would open fire in the process they would dispossess their occupants of the valuables," he said.
Ezeozue said that at about 10.00pm yesterday, some policemen, who were detailed to patrol the expressway, ran into an unofficial road block that was set up by these robbers.
He said the robbers immediately opened fire on the approaching police patrol vehicle and in the ensuing gun battle, six of the suspects were killed while some members of the gang ran away with various degrees of bullet wounds.
''At the scene of crime, team recovered one pump action rifle cut to size, two doable barrel guns, four expended cartridges, eight live cartridges and one unregistered motorcycle," he said.
While appealing to members of the public to come up with useful information as to the whereabouts of armed robbery suspects, he said these robbers live in houses built by Nigerians. He added that they carry out their activities in the presence of Nigerians against Nigerians but at times Nigerians still find it difficult to report armed robbery cases to the police.
He advised members of the public, particularly medical practitioners, to report gun shot victims to the police.
''I do no that the primary responsibility of medical practitioners is to save life first, but while carrying out treatment on the victim, such person should be reported the police,'' he added.