A policeman was killed and another injured by gunmen on Friday while on duty in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
The spokesman for the State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed this to Channels Television on Saturday.
He explained that the victims were guarding a hotel located on the D.S.P. Alamesiagha road in Yenagoa before they were attacked by the gunmen.
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“On 15 March 2019, at about 2100hours, unknown gunmen operating in a Toyota Camry car, Reg. number unknown, went to a hotel at Opolo, Yenagoa and without provocation opened fire at the two policemen on duty,” Butswat said.
He added, “The policemen fired back at the armed robbers and in the ensuing gun battle, one sergeant was fatally wounded. He was rushed to the Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa, where he was later confirmed dead. The other policeman is responding to treatment.”
The account by the police was corroborated by the residents of the area who said the gunmen stormed the hotel and started shooting at the policemen who were caught unawares.
The command spokesman noted that the attackers also had their own share of the gunfight as they escaped with bullets wounds.
According to him, following the incident, a team of policemen raided a notorious criminal hideout based on a tip-off, an operation which led to the arrest of some suspects.
Butswat said that those arrested had been providing the police with useful information that would help to apprehend other fleeing suspects.
