Okada riders flee from cops, dump nine guns

Some anti-robbery policemen attached to the Area E Command headquarters, FESTAC Town, have recovered nine pump-action guns and 42 live cartridges from two suspected robbers.

It was gathered that the policemen recovered the gunS from the two men in the 7th Avenue area of FESTAC.

The 7th Avenue was where the police and some commercial motorcycle ridersclashed about two weeks ago, which led to the death of one of the riders.

A resident told our correspondent that the suspects, who escaped arrest, were initially stopped by the policemen on routine patrol for riding an unregistered motorcycle.

The resident, who pleaded not to be named, said, “It was around 11.15pm when the policemen came to our side on the 7th Avenue and saw the two men on an unregistered motorcycle. They told the rider to stop and we all thought the police, as usual, wanted to extort money from the two men.

“But as the policemen moved near them, the men jumped down from the okada and fled into the night. When the policemen searched a bag they left behind, they found some guns; about seven I think.”

A police source at the area command also told our correspondent that the policemen were on a routine anti-crime patrol.

He said, “The policemen sighted the men on the 7th Avenue. They were on an unregistered motorcycle and carried a large bag. When challenged by the policemen, the men suddenly abandoned their ride and their bag, and took to their heels.

“The policemen later searched the bag and found nine pump-action guns and 42 live cartridges.

“We have told the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, and he ordered a detailed investigation into the case. Also, patrol has been intensified in the area.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor, said the recovery of the guns was a direct result of the CP’s meeting with all Area Commanders and Division Police Officers, where he charged them to fine tune their crime prevention strategies.

He said, “The CP has commended the area command and urged them to intensify efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects. He also urged residents to give useful information to the police to prevent crime.”