By Emeke Alexander
Undercover police operatives of the Delta State Police Command have been mistaken by suspected kidnappers as their targets leading to the death of three of them.
The incident occurred on Saturday, June 5, 2022, while the operatives of the Command’s Rapid Response Squad were on undercover anti-crime patrol along the busy Asaba/Benin expressway.
DSP Bright Edafe, who is the Command spokesperson in a statement on Tuesday said, “some armed hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers numbering about five suddenly emerged from the bush around Umunede, and fired gunshots at the space bus in an attempt to rob and possibly kidnap the occupants but unknown to them that the occupants were undercover police operatives.
“The team smartly disembarked from the vehicle and returned fire. The armed hoodlums realising that their potential victims were policemen ran into the bush. The team went into a fierce gun duel with the hoodlums during which three members of the gang were fatally wounded and one fabricated revolver pistol, six 7.62mm live ammunition and four expended 7.62mm ammunition were recovered from them.
“The injured hoodlums were taken to the hospital but died while receiving treatment. Manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang is ongoing.”
