There was pandemonium in the Oke-Ado area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on Wednesday, as operatives of the Oyo State Police Command engaged a two-man armed robbery gang in a fierce gun battle.
According to eyewitnesses, the suspected criminals, who had allegedly been terrorizing bank customers within the city, were trailed by detectives to the bustling Oke-Ado axis before opening fire in a bid to evade arrest.
The gun duel, which lasted several minutes, threw the area into confusion as residents and traders scampered for safety. Shop owners hurriedly shut their stores while commuters abandoned vehicles to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
Tribune Online gathered that one of the suspects, who reportedly fortified himself with assorted charms, was fatally shot during the exchange. His accomplice, however, was subdued and taken into custody by the police.
A senior police source who confirmed the operation said the suspects had been on the command’s watchlist for repeatedly targeting unsuspecting bank customers withdrawing large sums of money. “They have been notorious for trailing victims from banking halls and dispossessing them of cash and valuables. Today, luck ran out on them,” the source stated.
The lifeless body of the slain suspect was later evacuated from the scene, while the arrested accomplice was whisked away for interrogation. The development caused tension in the area, with many residents expressing relief at the police action but also fear of possible reprisal from criminal gangs.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Police Command has assured residents of continued efforts to rid Ibadan and its environs of criminal elements. Spokesperson of the command is expected to issue an official statement in the coming hours.
The video of the dramatic arrest, which has since surfaced online, shows police operatives disarming the surviving suspect as bystanders watched cautiously from a distance.
