Some illegal oil bunkers in the Oghior community have reportedly engaged in a gun duel with police operatives from the Ovwian division in the Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.
The gun battle started when the security operatives arrested a truck contained with suspected crude with the owner.
Having arrested the suspect, the police escorted him to Oghior deport where the product was loaded.
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Meanwhile, the local vigilante in the area was chased from the community by the suspected oil bunkers as the crisis led to the razing of the security post at Oghior junction.
A source who pleaded anonymity told newsmen that:
“The arrested suspect led security operatives to the community and the hoodlums who had barricaded the entrance to the community engaged the police in a shoot after pining them down.
“The security operatives were pin down for over two hours before the arrival of the DPO from Ovwian division who mobilize both the local vigilantes and his men to rescue the pin down officers after a heavy gun battle.
“They were armed with sophisticated weapons during the gun duel and one of the suspected bunkers identified as Etomax was shot on his two legs before he was taken away by the police.”
Mr Wisdom Umukoro, chairman of the local vigilante, said:
“Last Friday we were in our checkpoint when the DPO from Ovwian station came to mobilize us to follow him to the community.
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“On our way, the boys armed with dangerous weapons engaged the police in a shoot out, and in that process, the arrested suspect who was in handcuffs escaped with the help of the hoodlums in the community.
“After the departure of the police, the hoodlums led by one ASharp attacked us, my son Favour Umukoro, 23, and our member were seriously beaten and injured. We could not do anything because they were armed.
“This is not the first time, the hoodlums had a shoot out the military men fee months ago and their bunkering camps and depot were destroyed.
“After their previous shoot with the military, they returned to the bush and continued their illegal bunkering activities before another shoot out encounter with the police last Friday.
“Presently we have been chased out of our home and we are speaking to you from our hideout, and our properties have been destroyed.
“When this boys are arrested, prominent leaders, Chiefs and politicians would go and grant them bail.
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“When Asharp was arrested some time ago, a former commissioner, name withheld went to the police station to secure his bail and this is the result of the bail, and as we speak, the president general of the community is on the run to evade arrest.
“We want the state and federal government to come to our rescue from the menace of these hoodlums.”
The Delta DSP Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe confirmed the incident.
Edafe said:
“We have two suspects and they will be charged to court soonest.”
