ASABA — DELTA State Police Commissioner, Mr. Charles Akaya yesterday said that his command has lost five police officers within the past one week following attacks they suffered in the hands of hoodlums, one of which was the sacking of Agbarho police station last Thursday.
Addressing newsmen in Asaba yesterday, the Police Commissioner, however, said that nine suspects have so far been arrested in connection with what he described as “unprovoked attacks”, warning that he would not fold his hands and watch his officers killed and maimed “in some communities where youths attack policemen and stations whenever it interests them to do so.”
He stated that among the officers that were killed in the onslaught was an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), an Inspector and a Constable, but however denied that arms and ammunition were carted away when a group of robbers attacked the Agbarho police station last Thursday, but admitted the police recorded casualties.
According to him, “at about 5.45am, at Ovie palace road Effurun, some unidentified armed men attacked police officers on duty at Effurun and killed an ASP. On the same day, a gang of suspected armed robbers believed to be the one that struck earlier at Effurun held a commercial bus travelling to Asaba from Warri along Effurun/Agbarho road and killed a Constable who was a passenger in the bus.”
He added that “the unprovoked attacks remained unabated as on the 19th of August, 2004 at about 1 00 am at Otovwode, Ughelli, an Inspector of Police on duty was shot dead and a patrol vehicle burnt to ashes. Some of those responsible for these heinous crimes had been arrested and they shall account for their actions. The story has been the same in some communities where youths attack policemen and stations whenever it interests them to do so, he stated, pointing out that “the concept of Operation Fire for Fire was not for policemen to be at the receiving end of attacks.
Instead, he went on, they are expected to hit back instantly. We had been careful to prevent innocent persons from being victims but some of these innocent persons are, however, those that shield the criminals from the law in their houses and hotels.
“These unwarranted attacks, he warned, will no more be tolerated and we therefore, call on those who harbour them to beware because they shall suffer the same fate with the criminals. For avoidance of doubt, we (police) shall now return fire for fire and any person who fires at any policeman must be prepared to be fired at”, he stated.
