A police inspector attached to the Ekiadolor area command was on Friday shot dead by gunmen who opened fire during a routine stop-and-search operation in Benin, the Edo capital.

CSP Moses Yamu, spokesperson for the Edo police command, confirmed this via a statement made available to journalists in Benin.

Mr Yamu said the incident occurred at about 12:00 p.m. when an unregistered, black, heavily-tinted Lexus SUV approached a checkpoint in the city and refused to stop despite being flagged down.

The suspicious behaviour of the vehicle’s occupants, he said, prompted the officers to attempt further security checks.

“Tragically, in the course of this lawful engagement, one of the occupants of the vehicle suddenly opened fire on the Inspector at close range and zoomed off,” he said.

According to him, the inspector died on the spot.

Following the attack, the police spokesman said the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, had ordered a full-scale investigation and an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators.

He stated that all intelligence and operational assets had been deployed to track down the assailants and ensure they face justice.

He quoted Mr Agbonika as appealing to the residents to help with credible information, especially regarding any sighting of a vehicle matching the description.

“Members of the public are urged to remain vigilant and report to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency hotlines: 08037646272 or 08077773721,” Mr Yamu added.

He reassured the public of the command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property, stressing that security had been heightened across the state as the yuletide season approaches.

(NAN)