Ogun: Inspector, two others die as police engage bandits in gun duel

An Inspector of Police, Omolayo Olajide, has lost his life during a gun duel between the police and bandits.Two of the bandits were also killed in the gun duel.

The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, expressed sadness over the death of the Police officer while condoling his family.

Newsmen reports that there was heavy gunfire, during the battle at Saala Orile forest, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Police had engaged the bandits, who were said to have stormed the forest to attack some Fulani herdsmen.

Ogun Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said policemen attached to Ayetoro division had received a distress call “that a group of bandits were attacking some Fulani herdsmen at Saala Orile forest.”

Upon the distress call, Oyeyemi disclosed that the DPO of Ayetoro, CSP Bernard Ediogboyan, immediately led his men and operatives of the Joint security Intervention squad (JSIS) to the scene.

“On sighting the policemen, the bandits opened fire on them and the policemen returned ‘fire-for-fire’.

“At the end of the encounter which lasted for about twenty minutes, two amongst the bandits were shot dead while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injuries. Regrettably, an inspector of police, by name, Omolayo Olajide lost his life during the gun duel,” Oyeyemi explained.

He listed some of the items recovered from the bandits to include three locally-made guns, 16 live cartridges, assorted criminal charms, one cutlass, one small phone and an unregistered Bajaj motorcycle.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police has directed that the escaped members of the gang be hunted and brought to justice.

He also assured the family of the late inspector that “his death will not be in vain