Suspected Kidnappers Shoot DPO In Edo

According to a report by The PUNCH, the Divisional Police Officer of Igarra Police Station in Akoko-Edo Local Government of Edo State, Suleiman Muhammed, has been reportedly shot by suspected kidnappers along the Auchi-Igarra-Ibillo road.

The incident, which happened on Tuesday a few metres before Sasaro around 7 pm, resulted in scarcity of commercial vehicles and commuters were stranded.

The local vigilante group were said to have taken away the seriously injured officer whose assailants were said to have left thought to have left for dead.

Narrating the incident on Tuesday, a member of the vigilante group from Igarra said the DPO was shot in the eyes, arm and stomach; adding that the assailants probably deployed AK-47 rifle as this rescuers allegeldy recovered bullets and cartridges from the scene of the attack.

Narrating the incident, a member of the vigilante group stated, “The DPO had earlier called us in the morning to go to a place where some suspected ‘Yahoo boys’ constituted a nuisance.

“Later, around 3 pm, he told us that suspected kidnappers were blocking the road, so we went there and chased them away.

“I was told that in the evening, after inspecting the change of guard, the DPO left for Auchi, where his family resides. The suspects laid ambush after the MTN mast near Sasaro and shot him several times. I believe they thought he was dead, so they abandoned him.

“Their gunshots made motorists going to Auchi and coming from Auchi to stop until we arrived at the scene in company of the Police. We rushed the DPO to the hospital.

“He was bleeding profusely because he was shot in the eyes, arm and stomach. After he was stabilised, he was rushed to Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital.

“On Wednesday morning, I and my men went back to the scene and we recovered spent bullets and cartridges, including those suspected to be used for AK-47 rifle.”

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Command, Kontongs Bello, was said to be on an official assignment outside the state, but sources at the command said they were awaiting official details of the incident.