Gunmen yesterday killed three riot policemen and injured another at their duty post along Igarra-Auchi Road, Edo State.
The shooting occurred at a checkpoint near the popular Agor Market in Edo North Senatorial District.
Although the policemen were caught unawares, they were said to have put up a gallant fight, leading to the death of one of the attackers.
Another of the attackers was said to have sustained gunshot injuries, was arrested and moved to an undisclosed hospital by the police.
It was learnt that six rifles, with two of them belonging to the attackers, who later claimed that they came from Okenne, Kogi State, were recovered from the hideout of the suspected criminals by local vigilante members.
Riot policemen had always mounted that checkpoint following rampant kidnapping of victims at farm settlements in the area for ransom.
The kidnappers had also killed, raped some of their victims.
Head of the vigilance group, Ibukun Dogo, said he got a call around 6am yesterday, from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), that his personnel were attacked, and he quickly mobilised his members to the scene.
Dogo revealed that when he and his men got to the scene, they saw the bodies of the three policemen, adding that they traced the blood marks into the bush till they got to the criminals’ hideout.
He said they met two of them with gunshot injuries, but one later died, while the other was taken away by the police to the hospital.
Edo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chidi Nwabuzor, a Superintendent of Police (SP), in his reaction said the command headquarters in Benin was yet to get details of the incident.
