Delta: Gunmen attack police team, kill DPO, ASP missing

Delta State Police Command has confirmed the killing of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) attached to Agharho Police Station by armed suspected kidnappers in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The Police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, who confirmed the killing in Asaba on Monday, told The Guardian that the suspected kidnappers also shot the DPO attached to Orerokpe division, who is currently in the Intensive Care Unit of an undisclosed hospital.

The Orerokpe DPO is simply identified as CSP Paul, and his chances of surviving the gunshots depend on divine intervention, it was learned.

Edafe, in an emotion-laden voice, said the police teams were ambushed in the early morning on the fateful day and fired upon, which led to the death of the DPO and others with various degrees of injuries.

He said, “For now, details about the killing are sketchy, but we only lost the Agharho Police Division DPO.”

The Guardian learned, however, that one Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) is missing, and his whereabouts are unknown after the fierce gun battle.

Sources said the police responded to distress calls at about 1:30 am on Monday that some persons had been kidnapped and their vehicle trapped at the Agbarho railway station.

A source said, “Immediately, the new DPO contacted his Orerokpe counterpart, and they mobilised and went to the area, but unknown to them, the kidnappers had ambushed them and fired at them.

“The new Agharho DPO was killed, his Orerokpe counterpart was seriously wounded and rushed to an undisclosed hospital. Other policemen in the team were also killed, but we don’t know how many there are for now.

“The Agharho DPO just resumed duty two days ago, and as we talk, his wife is still in the hotel where he was called from. The wife is not even aware, as we speak now, that her husband has been killed by kidnappers.”