How Militants Kill Three Policemen, Four Others In Ogun State

Three policemen and four residents of the Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State lost their lives during encounters with some gunmen suspected to be militants.

It was learnt that the three policemen, attached to the Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad, lost their lives last Thursday after the gunmen abducted a Chinese expatriate.

The operatives had engaged the gunmen in a shootout when the three policemen were killed. Another resident was also hit by a stray bullet and died on the spot.

The assailants on Friday attacked the home of a businessman, identified as Chief Rafiu Daramola, where they reportedly carted away N4.7m.

They were said to have shot dead three residents while escaping from the scene.

A community leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the three policemen and one resident were killed in Odi Omi, a boundary community between Lagos and Ogun states.

He said,

“Last week Thursday, the militants kidnapped a Chinese expatriate. As they were leaving with their victim, the operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad engaged them in a gun battle. The gunmen, however, shot dead three policemen and an indigene. The corpses were later removed and deposited in a morgue by the police.”

Around 8pm on Friday, the militants attacked the home of the businessman in the Iwopin community.

A family member of the victim said the suspects entered the house through the bathroom and ceiling.

He said,

“Our father had gone to turn on the generator when the men entered the house. Some of them entered through the bathroom and others came in through the ceiling. 

“They gathered all his wives and children together and asked for our phones, which we surrendered to them. They asked for our father and searched everywhere for him.

“When they could not find him, they asked for where the safe was. They broke into the room where he kept the safe and damaged it. They took N4.7m and left.”

The money were proceeds of sales from the bakery and filling station owned by the businessman.

It was gathered that there was no bank in the community due to the activities of the gunmen, who usually move around in  groups in the day time.

The men were driving back, their operational vehicle broke down and efforts to make it work were abortive.

A resident said the gunmen abandoned the bus and trekked back into the community. He said,

“The community is usually deserted from 8pm when most residents will be on bed. As a result, there was no vehicle for them to hijack as a getaway. 

“They trekked back and started shooting continuously from around 1am till the early hours of Saturday. The three victims heard the gunshots and came out to know what was happening. But they fell into the hands of the gunmen who shot them dead.”