24th August, 2023
By Usman Aliyu
The Edo Police Command has confirmed the killing of a soldier by armed who attacked their patrol van the First Eastern Circular and Akpakpaba Roads intersection in Benin city on Wednesday.
The patrol van in which the deceased soldiers and two of his colleagues who escaped the attack was escorting another van loaded with “Ghana-Must-Go’’ bags suspected to be loaded with cash, the spokesperson of the police in Edo SP Chidi Nwabuzor told journalists.
According to the police spokesperson, the robbers proceeded to loot the Ghana Must Go bags after the soldier was killed and his two colleagues abandoned the patrol van.
He added that investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack was on-going.
“Edo State Police Command can confirm that a soldier was killed in Benin on Wednesday. A good Nigerian reported the incident at the police station covering that neighbourhood.
“The hoodlums carted away `Ghana-Must-Go’ bags believed to have been loaded with cash from the van.
“Since they were in their patrol vehicle, they should be armed. The assailants acted on information, Nwabuzor added.
An eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the assailants, numbering four, drove in an unmarked Toyota Camry car against traffic flow as they headed toward army vehicle.
He said two of the assailants alighted from the vehicle and opened fire on the soldiers.
“The soldiers jumped out of the vehicle but one of them was hit by bullets and could not escape from the scene.
“Many people would have died if the soldiers had responded to the hail of bullets shot at them as the area is a busy spot for business activities,’’ the witness said. (NAN)