From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Edo State Police Command, yesterday, announced the killing of a notorious armed robber cum cultist, who reportedly escaped from the State Correctional Centre during the October 2020 End SARS riots.
Spokesman of the Command, SP Kongtongs Bello, in statement, said the deceased suspect, known as Fidelis Ekata, had been on the wanted list of the Command before he was sighted in Uromi axis of the state with his gang members, where he was gunned down.
The statement explained that the suspect died of a gunshot wound he sustained when he took on police operatives in Uromi.
“Today 02/03/2022 at about 1000hrs Operatives of Edo State Police Command, acting on credible information that a notorious armed robber/cultist popularly known as Ekata and an escapee of the Edo State Correctional Center Benin during the October 2020 END SARS PROTEST, who has been on the Command’s wanted list, was sighted somewhere in Uromi town in company of his other gang members.
“On receipt of the information, the Area Commander, Uromi, immediately deployed a team of Police Operatives to the location. On sighting the team of operatives, the gang opened fire on them, while the team gallantly responded.
“In the ensuing gun duel, one Fidelis Ekata ‘M’ who is the gang leader of the armed robbers/cultist sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to General Hospital Uromi for treatment but was confirmed dead by the Doctor on duty, while other gang members escaped with gunshot injuries.
“Effort is on to ensure the arrest of the fleeing gang members.
“The following items were recovered from the dead gang leader. One cut to size gun and one live cartridge”, the statement read.
Meanwhile, the commissioner of police Edo State Command, Philip Ogbadu, while commending the gallantry exhibited by the team, advised criminals in the state to eschew criminality or risk being arrested.