A tactical team of the Nigerian Police has stormed the
hideout of some of the fleeing wounded gunmen in
Oyigbo Local Government Area, Rivers State, killing four
of them and a female nurse.
The slain gunmen were reportedly being treated by the
nurse identified simply as Chichi in a hidden area of
Oyigbo when the squad surrounded the building and
opened fire on them.
It was gathered that sensing danger one of them on drip
attempted to escape by scaling the fence unknown to him
that the area had been surrounded by armed policemen,
who shot him dead.
The policemen subsequently gained access to the building
and killed three others receiving treatments and the nurse,
who was caught up in the gunfire, was also hit by a bullet.
The victims were said to be among the gunmen, who
recently murdered seven policemen in surprised and
coordinated attacks on security formations along the East-
West Road and Elimgbu Police Station.
A security source, who spoke in confidence, said the
bandits were trying to get medical treatments for multiple
bullet wounds inflicted on them by the police when luck
ran out on them.
He said: “Remember that recently gunmen, who disguised
as security operatives killed seven policemen when they
attacked their formations along the East-West Road and
the Elimgbu Police Station.
“During that attack, the police at Elimgbu engaged them
in a gun battle. They sustained many injuries and even
abandoned their Hilux van. Those who were wounded ran
to their hideout at Irebe side in Oyigbo and hired one
Uchechi, a nurse to treat them.
“The police tracked them to the hideout. Three of them
were already on drip. Sensing danger, one of the gunmen
scaled the fence but was gunned down by the squad.
“The policemen eventually gained access to the building
and met three others on drip. They made efforts to shoot
at the police but the policemen gunned them and in the
process the lady was hit by a bullet and she died.
“I can tell you that they are IPOB members. Five
registration booklets of IPOB, many charms and some arms
were recovered from them. You need to see their body,
which was previously riddled by bullet. Though the bullets
may not kill them because of their charms, the effects
and the injuries will still show.”
Though all efforts to reach the Police Public Relations
Officer, Nnamdi Omoni and the Commissioner of Police,
Emuebie Ebuka proved abortive, a senior police officer,
who spoke in confidence, confirmed the report.
He said: “Five of the fleeing gunmen were traced to their
location, where a nurse was treating them and they were
all killed including the nurse. They are IPOB members not
armed robbers.
“Items recovered from the scene including five IPOB
registration booklets are still at the Oyigbo police station
and they will soon be brought to our command
headquarters in Port Harcourt.”