From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Tragedy hit the Edo State Police Command on Sunday as a police Inspector, Jonathan, reportedly shot dead one Sergeant Akhere.
The incident happened at about 9pm in Ikponwosa/Egban community, Egor Local Government Area of Edo.
Report said the killing occurred after Akhere arrested a notorious cultist and prime suspect in cult-related activities, simply identified as ‘Raggae’ during a raid on cultists terrorising the said Ikponwosa/Egban community in recent times.
The exercise was carried out by operatives of the Edo State Police Anti-Kidnapping Squad, and their Control Intelligence Rapid Response Squad counterpart.
It was gathered that the ensuing melee that followed was used by Raggae to flee while the trigger-happy cop also took flight and is yet to be apprehended as at the time of this publication.
The Sergeant was said to have been confirmed dead at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital where he was rushed to.
Meanwhile, the state Police Command, yesterday, reacted to a series of killings by suspected rival cult groups within the Benin metropolis in the last two weeks, announcing the killing of one of its officers.
The command, in a statement by its spokesman, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, said it was doing everything within its means to restore peace and order, even as the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Dankwara, had appealed to the good people of the state to remain calm and go about their Christmas celebration, assuring the safety of lives and property.
“Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that the command is aware of the secret cult fighting and the killings in the state, mostly in the Benin metropolis, in the recent times that took the lives of innocent citizens, particularly that of Mr Hillary Nosa Odia, a staff of Independent Television and Radio, Benin City.
“The command is sincerely and vigorously fighting this crime and wishes to put it to an end for the state to be peaceful for all.”
Its efforts in fighting against secret cult members or to stop the killings are shown in the loss of one of its personnel during operation in the Ugbowo axis on the 24th of December, 2023. Nevertheless, a sizable number of arrests of the secret cult members of various cult groups have been made in different locations in the state and will soon be charged to court for prosecution.
“In view of the above, CP Mohammed Adamu Dankwara, FBDFM, FCCIMN, the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, appeals to the good people of Edo State to remain calm and go about with their Christmas celebration. He reiterates the command’s commitments and readiness of officers and men to ensure the safety of the lives and property of the citizenry and residents of Edo State during this yuletide period.
“He, however, solicits the citizens’ participation in giving out information to the police as modern and civilised policing entails citizenship and community policing,” the statement said.