Two Killed As Gunmen Attack Oyo Police Station Over ‘Bribery Demand’ By Officers

A Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) and a civilian have been killed during an attack by gunmen at the Iganna divisional police headquarters in Iwajowa Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Oyo Police State Attacked

It was gathered that a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and a police inspector also sustained injuries during the attack and are currently receiving treatment at a hospital.

An eye witness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident happened on Tuesday night over the refusal of a driver to give money to the police personnel at a checkpoint in the area.

“A man from Igangan met some police personnel at a checkpoint in Iganna requesting money which the driver refused to give.

“The driver was then asked to bring his vehicle documents, which resulted in a heated argument, thus prompting the officer to point a gun at the driver.

“It was when the driver was dragging the gun with the officer that he (driver) was shot in the leg and later rushed to a hospital.

“The shooting of the driver provoked the youth in the area into attacking the police station,” the witness said.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the attack resulted in the death of a male civilian in custody at the facility.

Osifeso said the police officers were attacked by gunmen during a stop-and-search exercise along Elejoka-Igangan road before forcing their way through to attack the police station.

He said, “Preliminary investigation revealed that in compliance to the stop and search directives on unregistered motorcycles and overcrowded pillions to reduce the spate of robberies and abductions in the axis, operatives of the Command attached to Iganna Divisional Police Headquarters, while on legitimate duties along Elejoka-Igangan road, Iwajowa LGA, were attacked by hoodlums who were clearly opposed not only to the directive but as well the relative tranquility in the axis,” the statement reads.

“In furtherance of the above, and in a bid to drive home their point, the officers were attacked unprovoked by the assailants thus leading to the death of the Divisional Crime Officer and a civilian in custody, in the process of repelling the hoodlums from invading the Divisional Police Headquarters at Iganna after forcing themselves into the town.

“Also, the Divisional Police officer and a Police Inspector sustained several lacerations from machete cuts and are currently being stabilised at a government medical hospital.

“The Oyo State Police Command under the leadership of CP Adebowale Williams psc (+), fdc has promised to make examples of the masterminds of the unfortunate incident.

Osifeso said that the commissioner of police had ordered full-scale investigations into the matter, with the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigations Department leading the team.

KanyiDaily had also reported how gunmen shot a couple and killed four policemen during an attack at Agwa Divisional Police headquarters in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo state.