Two members of the dreaded “Momotimi” gang have died from bullet wounds sustained in a shootout with police operatives in Delta.
The deceased gang members, Gift Famous A.K.A “BOBONE, aged 29years and Edafe Friday Onaibe A.K.A ‘LASLAS 1500 aged 25years of Enerhen had been on the wanted list of the Delta State Police Command for their criminal exploits in Warri and other parts of the State.
The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Bright Edafe, in a statement on Sunday said on Friday, December 2, 2022, “the DPO Ovwian Aladja, CSP Aliyu Shaba, acting on a tip-off that two members of the dreaded “Momotimi” Gang were sighted in a Beer Parlour at Opete community in Owvain Aladja, Udu LGA. The DPO Ovwian Aladja Division mobilized and led a team of Police operatives to the scene where they found the duo of Gift Famous A.K.A “BOBONE” ‘m’ aged 29yrs, and Edafe Friday Onaibe A.K.A ‘LASLAS 1500’ ‘m’ aged 25yrs of Enerhen, both of whom had long been on the Command’s wanted list for their criminal exploit in Warri and other parts of the State. The Duo on sighting the Police fired gunshots at them, in a bid to escape and the Police operatives returned fire while giving them a hot chase, and in the ensuing gun duel, both suspects were fatally wounded.
“However, on their way to the hospital the suspects confessed to several robberies, assassinations, including the murder of one Douglas Abugu in Ekpan on 18/8/2022, because he took over the position of quarter chairman from him when he (Gift Famous) was in prison, and he could not get back his position when he returned, hence his decision to kill Douglas. He also confessed to the murder of one “small doctor” in the same Ekpan axis on 22/8/2022.
“He further revealed that he was responsible for the attempted kidnap/murder of one man (name withheld) in Ekpan, where they shot him in a bid to kidnap him.
“Both suspects who were fatally wounded in the gun duel died before getting to the hospital. Manhunt for the other members of the gang is ongoing.”
Edafe listed the items recovered from the deceased suspects to include one locally-made barrel pistol, one cut-to-size locally-made double barrel gun, six live cartridges and round of 7.62 AKA47 live ammunition.