On Wednesday, April 12, men from the Ogun State Police Command were able to stop an armed robbery group from entering a well-known phone market in the Okelewo neighborhood of Abeokuta.
The armed robbery gang numbering about eight, stormed the market popularly known as “TARMARC” at about 5:30 p.m, and started shooting sporadically and carting away expensive phones.
A distress call was quickly made to the police at Ibara divisional headquarters. The DPO Ibara division, CSP Abayomi Adeniji, quickly mobilised his anti-robbery and surveillance teams in collaboration with men of Amotekun corps and moved to the scene.
When the robbers saw the police officers, they started a gunfight with them, but because of the police officers’ overwhelming weaponry, the hoodlums fled.
However, they were aggressively pursued, and one of the robbers, later identified as 32-year-old Adeniji Sakiru, was captured with the help of the market men.
Unfortunately, the robbers shot Dayo Bankole, a trader at the market, during the attack. He passed away while seeking medical care at General Hospital Ijaye in Abeokuta.
Items recovered from the arrested robber include one double barrel locally made gun and assorted Criminal charms.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the outgoing Commissioner of Police now AIG, Frank Mba, has directed that the suspect be transferred to State Criminal Investigation Departments for discreet investigation.
‘’He equally ordered a massive manhunt for the remaining members of the gang with the view to bring them to justice. He therefore appealed to members of the public, especially hospitals, to inform the police if anybody with gunshot injury is seen in their area.” Oyeyemi said
