A Senior Police Officer and his orderly have been robbed in Ologbo area of Edo State by gunmen while on their way to Osun State for the governorship election special duty.
The Officer, overseeing Marine Police, Ologbo, Edo State, and his orderly were robbed at about 8:10pm.
The gunmen, numbering about six, were in local vigilante uniforms and armed with AK47 rifles.
The hoodlums, who were along the road, collected N400,000 from the Senior Police Officer.
They also collected the Officer’s service pistol, with breech number: 49111621, holding seven rounds of live ammunition and First Bank and Access Bank Automatic Teller Machine cards.
It was further learnt that the N400,000 was meant for the buying of fuel for gunboats that would be taking personnel to Osun State for the monitoring of the July 16, 2022 governorship election.
It was also heard that the OC Marine and his orderly were heading to Ologbon Marine Station to meet with other police personnel, who were already waiting for them, so that they could all move together to Osun State for the election special duty when the incident occurred.
A source said: “On getting to Oghobaye in Ologbo Community, the OC Marine and his orderly were flagged down by armed men in vigilante uniforms, numbering about six.
“The OC, thinking they were genuine vigilante men, introduced himself and his orderly as policemen heading to Osun State for election special duty.”
Moments after the introduction, one of the men, who was armed with an AK-47 rifle, shot sporadically into the air and ordered the OC and his orderly to step down from their car.
The source further said: “One of the men shot into the air with an AK47 rifle and asked the OC Marine and his orderly to come down from the vehicle at gunpoint.
“They ransacked the car and collected the officer’s purse containing the sum of N400,000, which was meant for the purchase of fuel for the gunboat going to the Osun State election.
“The officer’s service pistol, with breech number 49111621, with seven rounds of live ammunition, First Bank and Access Bank Automatic Teller Machine cards were all carted away by the armed men.
“After dispossessing the police personnel of their valuables, the gunmen, who were in an unregistered grey coloured Toyota Corolla car, drove away.”
It was also further gathered that the incident has been reported at Ologbo Divisional Headquarters for further investigations.