Police gun down five robbery suspects in Lagos

By The Citizen

The operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), led by Superintendent of Police (SP) Abba Kyari, yesterday killed five armed robbery suspects after they allegedly murdered two police officers on Lagos Island and Ajao Estate.

The suspects, police sources said, first operated on Lagos Island at about 3.30pm, killing a police officer, after which they stormed Ajao Estate where they killed another policeman and ransacked some buildings and a warehouse.

Promptly, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Umar Manko, ordered that the suspects be arrested. This prompted men of the Kyari-led team to lay ambush at various spots.

An exchange of gunfire was said to have ensued between the bandits and the policemen. 'The robbers operated with a Honda Odyssey vehicle marked DL249 FST in which four of them were shot dead. Their leader, Godogodo and two others, escaped. When his second-in-command, Gasiu Mental, attempted to escape, Kyari shot him and he was arrested. He later died on the way to the hospital after he had confessed that his gang leader sustained fatal bullet injuries,' said a police source.

The SARS operatives recovered their vehicle in which they discovered two automatic pump-action rifles, four pistols and one revolver. Goods, including cartons of blackberry phones, Iphone and Samsung phones, among others, were also found in the vehicle.

Police spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent (DSP) Ngozi Braide confirmed the incident.