A chaotic scene unfolded at The Abbey Hostel in Ode Remo, housing students from Gateway ICT Polytechnic Saapade, as a fierce gun battle erupted between the state police command and a group of suspected robbers on Thursday morning.
According to reports from PUNCH Online, an unidentified armed robber was fatally shot by the police during the exchange of gunfire. The incident began around 1:30 am when four suspected robbers entered the area, initiating a raid on the hostel.
An anonymous source in the vicinity revealed that the robbers targeted students, robbing them of their mobile phones and other electronic devices. During the ongoing robbery, a resident managed to alert the police about the criminal activity.
Upon the arrival of the police anti-crime patrol team, the suspected robbers engaged in a shootout with law enforcement. As a result, one of the robbers was killed during the confrontation. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident, stating that the remaining three suspects fled the scene with gunshot wounds.
Odutola reported the recovery of a bag containing five iPhones, one Techno phone, a wristwatch, an iPod, and a power bank. Ongoing efforts are in place to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
This incident adds to a series of security challenges faced by the polytechnic and student hostels in Saapade, with a similar robbery resulting in the tragic death of a student named Segun in December 2023. In November 2023, another incident involved sporadic shootings, with suspected robbers invading student hostels, causing harm and theft of personal belongings. Some female students were reportedly molested, and others left with gunshot wounds during that earlier incident.