Robbers kill UNIBEN don, one suspect shot dead
A gang of suspected armed robbers have shot dead a lecturer
at the University of Benin, Dr. Godwin Omofonwa, in Ugbowo, Ovia
North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.
It was gathered that the robbers invaded the residence of
the university don, located in Evbuomore quarters, in the early hours of
Wednesday.
They were said to have shot Omonfonwa during the raid and dispossessed him and others of their belongings.
However, one of the armed robbers was said to have been
killed during a gun duel with policemen while five others reportedly
fled.
The Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Michael
Osasuyi, said that the deceased was the examination officer of the
Faculty of Education.
Osasuyi said, “It is a very big blow to the university; the
vice-chancellor is a saddened and commiserates with members of the
(bereaved) family. We just pray that everybody puts hands together to
support the government and the police.
“The police cannot perform magic; they work with
information. Anybody who has useful information should be able to give
it to the law enforcement agencies so that they can comb the area and
restore peace in the state.”
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Kokumo, told
journalists at a press briefing in Benin that some policemen had been
deployed to the area, following a distress call received at about 1:14
am.
Kokumo explained that three mobile phones belonging to the
late man and a Nokia phone stolen from one Precious were recovered from
the deceased suspect.
He stated, “In the ensuing gun battle, one of the marauders
was shot dead while others escaped. Sadly, one Dr. Godwin Omofonwa, a
lecturer in the Department of Education, University of Benin, died as a
result of gunshot wounds he received from the robbers.
“This particular incident is an isolated case as crime has
been on a downward trend since my assumption of office as the
commissioner of police, Edo State. The police have been on the trail of
this particular group of hoodlums, who have been troubling the vicinity
until they met their waterloo.”
The police commissioner said that other items recovered from
the robbers include a single-barrel gun, iron cutter, one live and 12
expended cartridges and a torch.
In a related development, Kokumo disclosed that one person
had been arrested over the alleged murder of one Priest in Ovia
North-East Local Government Area of the state.
He noted that the suspect, one Johnson Igonoyoye, had confessed to the crime.
He also said that two other persons were arrested for
allegedly robbing a woman of her Lexus 330 Sports Utility Vehicle and
some jewellery.
SOURCE: THEPUNCH
