Pipeline vandals attack IG’s squad, kill four policemen

File picture of suspected vandals

Four policemen attached to the Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Anti- Pipeline Vandalism Unit were shot death during a clash with vandals yesterday. 

Many others were also injured in the shootout at Obadore area of Igando on the outskirts of Lagos metropolis. It was gathered that the vandals, numbering over 20, positioned themselves in strategic positions in the creeks to ward off intruders.
Police authorities, however, said three policemen were killed. A police source said that vandals took away the bodies of the policemen. He said: “As we speak now, we are still searching for the bodies of the policemen.”
The incident was said to have occurred about 10am. Other members of the squad, who were able to escape, quickly called for re-enforcement. Different police stations and divisional police officers, under ‘Area M Police Command, Egbeda/Idimu, closest to the scene, were directed to the scene. It was gathered that the team responding to a tip-off, stormed the area and quickly intercepted three vehicles loaded with fuel products and two empty vehicles.
The team also nabbed a female suspected vandal named Anchika at the site. Just as the policemen were about to leave with the exhibits and the female suspect, vandals, who had laid ambush, appeared from nowhere and opened fire on them. Some members of the team quickly recovered from their shock and retaliated. Another police source said: “At the end of the shootout, two policemen were seriously wounded, and might have been killed. Others sustained gunshot injuries too. I do not know whether more suspects were arrested from the scene.”
File picture Suspected Vandals The source said the wounded policemen were rushed to Igando General Hospital for treatment. “As we speak, there is massive operation ongoing in the area as armed policemen are now everywhere,” said the source. The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Emmanuel Ojukwu, who confirmed the incident, said that three policemen were killed.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed that policemen from IG’s Special Task Force on Anti-Vandalism had an encounter with vandals, leading to the loss of some policemen.
He, however, insisted it was not in his area of jurisdiction to confirm the number of those killed. According to him, the antivandalism unit has an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Friday Ibadin, who is in charge of the unit. He said it was Ibadin’s jurisdiction.
Several calls to Ibadin, however, were not answered. He also did not reply to text messages. Ojukwu said: “Some pipeline vandals engaged the IGP’s Special Task Force on Oil pipeline Vandalism.
Police have started hunting for the shooters. We do not have policemen specially classified as IGP’s men. Every police officer is from the IGP. But the situation is under control now. We are investigating the circumstances thoroughly and we assure you that the offenders will be apprehended.”