Yet to be identified armed men on Tuesday evening attacked
the Divisional Police Command at Afuze, headquarters of the Owan-East Local
Government Area of Edo, killing the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and three
other officers on duty.
The armed men also attacked the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) office where they shot sporadically at officers of
the Nigeria Police.
Reports have it that the hoodlums also attacked the office
of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the town, and destroyed
electoral materials.
They equally burnt a police van in the compound.
The officers killed in the attack were: Supt. Tosimani Ojo,
the DPO of the station; Sgt. Justina Aghomon, a pregnant woman, Insp. Sado
Isaac and Cpl. Glory David.
A witness, Godwin Ikpekhia, told newsmen on Wednesday that
the incident occurred at about 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, while many of the officers
in the division had gone on outside duties.
“We only heard gunshots and nobody knew what actually
happened until Wednesday morning.
“The Divisional Police Officer alongside three other
officers who were on duty was also killed on the spot, inside the building.
“The hoodlums didn’t just stop at that; they went to the
INEC office and were shooting sporadically at policemen who were on duty there.
“Election materials and a police van at the INEC office were
burnt by the hoodlums,” he said.
The Edo Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Danmallam, who
visited the scene, said that investigation would commence immediately.
Danmallam vowed that those responsible for the attacks will
be brought to book.
“Urgent steps will be taken to curb the increasing cases of
criminality in the Owan axis of the state,” he said.
Recall that the attacks on officers and men of the Nigeria
Police have become quite unusual in the Owan area.
On July 14, last year, four police officers were killed at a
checkpoint in the area and burnt inside their Hilux Patrol van.
Also on Jan. 23, this year, the All Progressives Congress
(APC) House of Assembly candidate for Owan-West, Mr Ohio Ezomo, was kidnapped,
while his orderly was killed on the spot.
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