3 held over ‘murder attempt’ of police officer

Operatives of the Ogun Police Command have arrested three men over the alleged attempted murder of a police sergeant, Akinpelu Sunday, while carrying out his duty at Orile Imo, in Obafemi Owode LGA of the state.

The suspects, Olayiwola Basiru, Bamimore Isiaka and Soliu were arrested when they allegedly attacked the policeman and attempted to burn a police towing vehicle.

The police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, on Monday, in Abeokuta, told newsmen that following the report of an accident at Orile Imo area, the police sergeant attached to the Traffic Section of the Owode Egba Divisional Headquarters was detailed to rescue the victims and recover the vehicles involved to the station.

“But on getting to the scene, the suspects attacked the policeman and the towing vehicle driver with a sledge hammer, stick and other dangerous weapons in order to prevent them from taking one of the vehicles involved to the station for further investigation.

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“The policeman and the towing vehicle driver managed to escape from the scene and ran to the station with varying degrees of injuries.

“The Divisional Police Officer, Owode Egba Division, CSP Olasunkanmi Popoola, when hinted,  led his men to the place where he met the suspects who had already poured petrol on the towing vehicle and were about to set it ablaze after removing the cash sum of N520,000 belonging to the towing vehicle driver,” he said.

He said three of the hoodlums were arrested, while others escaped, but the remaining petrol was recovered from them.

Oyeyemi quoted the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, as having ordered that those who escaped must be hunted for and brought to book.

He added that the CP further directed that the arrested suspects be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and prosecution.