The police command in Delta said it neutralised a suspected armed robber and recovered a stolen vehicle from the robbery gang.

The spokesman of the command, DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed this to reporters on Thursday in Warri.

Mr Edafe said the suspect was neutralised on Thursday by the police operatives attached to the “B Division”, Warri, during a gun duel.

He explained that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), ‘B Division’, Warri, SP Bolarinwa Alabi, had received a distress call that some hoodlums snatched a Lexus car on the Warri-Sapele road and used the same vehicle to rob people.

“The DPO swiftly mobilised and led a team of striking force of the Division, trailed the hoodlums and caught up with them.

“The hoodlums numbering about four, upon sighting the police, opened fire on the team and the police exchanged fire.

“The hoodlums escaped into the bush while firing at the police but one of them was shot and fatally wounded.

“The injured suspect gave up the ghost while receiving treatment,” he said.

Mr Edafe said that the police recovered one locally made cut-to-size double barrel gun with two live cartridges and one suspected stolen vehicle with registration number PYN 595 PW.

The police spokesman recalled that the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Operations, Johnson Ademola, on Wednesday had a brainstorming meeting with key officers in the command.

During the meeting, Mr Edafe said strategies were mapped out on how to nip the activities of kidnappers in the bud.

He added that tactical commanders were directed to proceed to Ughelli and Warri alongside their men to reinforce the divisions, adding that the result was manifesting.

The command’s spokesman said that the DCP, Operations, had assured Delta residents that the command would leave no stone unturned in the fight against crime and criminalities in the state.

He therefore appealed to residents to help the command with useful and credible information to enable the police to do their job effectively, stressing that police always relied on information to execute some operations.

(NAN)