Police inspector killed as bombers sack police station, empty armory

About 40 suspected gunmen on Friday night invaded Ido Ekiti Divisional Police Station in Ido/Osi Council area of Ekiti State leaving a police inspector on duty during the massive attack dead.

Two other policemen were also said to have suffered severe injuries in the attack. The gunmen were said to have attacked the station with dynamites leaving the the station in
rubbles just as the ceilings and rooftop of the building were also badly affected.

Also, the armory of the police station was emptied by the gunmen during the raid. They were said to have broken open all the rooms in the police station in the course of searching for ammunitions.

A detective attached to the station, who pleaded for anonymity, said that the suspected robbers invaded the police station around 7.20pm and destroyed virtually everywhere.

When journalists visited the station yesterday, the policemen attached to the duty, including some not on duty looked devastated as they gathered under trees to assess the situation.

According to the police source, some of the gunmen drove in recklessly through the gate while some scaled the fence and headed into the main building where the armory was located.

He said few policemen were on guard during the raid, which he said made the attack to be successful and fierce.

He said that upon entering the station, the armed bandits opened fire on the police inspector who was said to have died on the spot.

“Our suspicion is that they came to loot the armory because that was why they first attacked after demobilizing our men. In fact, they emptied the entire place.

“They did not come for detainees or robbery suspects because if that had been the case, they would have attacked the cell. As a matter of fact, nobody was detained in the cell as at the time the incident took place,” he said.

Police Public Relations Officer of the state Command, Mr Alberto Adeyemi, who confirmed the story, said the Police Commissioner, Mr James Etop, had visited the station on a fact-finding mission.

Adeyemi said the bandits made away with only two rifles as the armory had before now been emptied owing to its unsecured nature.

The police spokesman said the two injured cops were recuperating in an undisclosed hospital.

National Mirrow