Gunmen attack police station, kill policemen, raid armoury

Unknown gunmen on Monday night attacked Owutu Police Station, killing three, including two policemen. They injured several people, raided the station’s armoury and freed detainees.

The bandits were said to have attacked around 11pm. The gunmen, their numbers yet unknown were said to have crept on the sleepy station and opened fire, killing two police officers. They also raided the station armoury, carting away four AK47 rifles and freed all the detained suspects in the cell.

 One of the bandits flying bullets hit and killed a commercial motorcycle rider sleeping on a chair close to the station.

A police source said that trouble started after members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), got a tip-off that some men, believed to be oil vandals were operating at Abule-Tapa Village, a suburb of Ikorodu.

The NSCDC officers raced to the village and arrested one of the suspected oil thieves.  

It was also gathered that those who sustained injury were rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital for medical attention. The remains of the slain police officers had also been deposited at the mortuary.

The police source further said: “When the officials of the NSCDC stormed the village, they got one of the vandals. When his colleagues got wind of his arrest, they reinforced and attempted to rescue their partner.

“But before the vandals could get to Owutu road, the NSCDC men had gone with the arrested suspect. This apparently angered the vandals who had been chasing the officials with three motorcycles. They attacked Owutu Police Station just because they wanted to vent their anger. The two policemen killed, were relaxing outside the station.”

He said that the gunmen surrounded the station and started shooting sporadically. “They shot people indiscriminately! They gained access into the station cell and freed some of their colleagues and other inmate who had been in detention.”   

A Hausa leader in the area identified the dead motorcycle rider as Iliyasu Abubakar. He was an indigene of Katsina State. He was married with children.

When our correspondent visited the police station, the station was under lock and key. A team of policemen from Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and Armoured Personal Carrier (APC) was station opposite the police station.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Mr. Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident, adding: “We lost two of our police officers. The gunmen carted away two of our guns. There is an ongoing investigation into the attack. Those who sustained injury where receiving treatment at Ikorodu General Hospital.”