A robbery suspect was on Friday killed during a gun battle with the Police in Orji area of Owerri, the Imo State capital. Three other members of the gang reportedly escaped with bullet wounds.
It was gathered that the four-man gang had trailed, a clergyman, Pastor G.E Nsofor of Holiness Evangelist Church Amankuta Mbieri, who had gone to bank to withdraw some money.
After noticing that he was being trailed, the pastor reportedly ran towards a nearby police station and raised the alarm.
Undaunted by the pastor’s move, the robbers swooped on him, snatched the bag containing the money and fled.
They were however given a hot chase by men of the Orji Police Station and in an ensuing gun battle, one of the armed robbers was gunned down while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
Confirming the incident, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Orlando Ikeokwu, said, “the Orji Divisional Police operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, had a gun duel with hoodlums. As a result, one of the armed robbers was gunned down.
“It is important to note that one Pastor G.E Nsofor ‘m’ 60 years old from Holiness Evangelist Church Amankuta Mbieri had gone to UBA Bank Nwaorubi Mbaitoli to cash in #200,000 cheque. Immediately, he left the bank he was trailed by armed robbers on motorcycles.
“Upon noticing their actions, he sped off and stopped by the police station. Unrelenting by the proximity to police station, he was ordered by the armed robbers to bring his money. They collected his bag.
“The policemen on duty who were on red alert informed the DPO who immediately led a manhunt on the hoodlums and as fate would have it, out of the four, one was gunned down while three fled with bullet injuries. The unidentified robber was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead by the doctor on duty.
He said that the bag of the victim and a locally made revolver pistol with two live ammunition were recovered.