Seven die in police, robbers’ shootout FRANCIS SUBERU July 15, 2013 No Comments » Seven people, including five members of an armed robbery gang, which invaded a hotel in Ajah area of Lagos State last week, have been killed in a gun duel with the police. The other two people were policemen, who were stationed at a hotel around Ajao Estate. There was a shootout when a gang of robbers invaded the hotel around 4am yesterday. The suspected armed robbers, who died in the encounter, have been identified to be members of the gang which killed the owner of 04 Hotel in Ajah last Sunday, before setting the hotel on fire. It was gathered that trouble started for the wanted armed robbers Saturday night, when the police received a distress call that they were operating around Ajao Estate. The eight-man robbery gang had reportedly killed two policemen earlier yesterday, who were on guard at an unnamed hotel in Ajao Estate along Airport Road. The armed robbers had reportedly invaded the hotel in three vehicles, including two Sport Utility Vehicles, SUVs and a Honda Odyssey space bus. It was learnt that detectives attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, led by SP Abba Kyari went after the robbers. The policemen first intercepted the gang at Stadium Road, Surulere, before they later caught up with the robbers again at the end of Eko Bridge, Lagos Island about 4:00am, during which a gun duel started. At the end of the fierce gun duel, five of the robbers were shot dead, while three others escaped with bullet wounds. The Honda Odyssey space wagon bus, four automatic Pump Action Rifles, PARs, four Brownie pistols and a revolver pistol, were recovered from the gang. Efforts to get the reaction of the state Police Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, were futile as did not pick her calls.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 08:59:08 +0000