Operatives of Edo State Police Command on Tuesday shot dead one armed robbery suspect in a gun duel.
One other suspect who gave his name simply as Chinedu, was arrested with serious gunshot injuries.
According to the command’s spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, acting on a distress call, the police operatives engaged the hoodlums who were operating along Benin-Lagos Expressway, between Fulani Junction and Bob Izuagbe Market.
“On sighting the police, the hoodlums engaged them in a gun duel and due to the superior fire power of the police, one of the armed robbers was gunned down, one arrested with gun injury while another escaped with bullet wounds,” Nwabuzor said.
One cut-to-size locally made single barrel gun, one long toy gun, one machete and two touch lights were recovered from the suspects.
In another incident, the command also paraded five suspects for allegedly impersonating Nigerian Army.
Three of the suspects, Solomon Hussaini (28), Ehiorobo Evans (28) and Osariemen Agho (25) were said to be operatives of Nigerian Army who deserted the war front while fighting insurgency in the North East.
They confessed to have been on absent without leave (AWOL), from their various formations.
The two other suspects, Idoro Solomon and Ezeyi Kelechi, were arrested with the deserters.
Nwabuzor, who paraded the suspects, said that they assembled in an area and were clad in army camouflage uniforms.
He disclosed that men of the Police force who acted on a tip-off, stormed the scene and nabbed the suspects.
“The operatives of Anti-Cultism Unit, acting on a tip-off along PZ road, off Sapele road, Benin city, arrested five young men namely: Idoro Solomon, Ehiorobo Evans, Osariemen Agho, Solomon Hussaini and Ezeyi Kelechi. They were seen gathering in the area, dressed in Army camouflage uniforms, we mobilised to the scene and arrested five of the suspects who confessed being fake Army officers.
“They also confessed to have been terrorising the area. Items recovered from them are: Army camouflage uniforms and Jack knives,” he said.
However, all the suspects denied being arrested with army camouflage uniforms on them.
One of them, Evans Ehiorobo, said he served four months in the Nigerian Army but has been on AWOL for eight months.

By Jethro Ibileke