Two persons, a Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) and a civilian were killed by hoodlums during an attack on Igangan police station in Oyo State.
Also a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and a police inspector also sustained injuries during the attack and are currently receiving treatment at a hospital.
According to an eye witness of the incident that happened Tuesday night, the mayhem was caused by the refusal of a driver to give money to the police personnel at a check-point in the area.
“A man from Igangan met some police personnel at a check-point in Iganna requesting for money which the driver refused to give.
“The driver was then asked to bring his vehicle documents, which resulted in a heated argument, thus prompting the officer to point a gun at the driver.
“It was when the driver was dragging the gun with the officer that he (driver) was shot on the leg and later rushed to a hospital.
“The shooting of the driver provoked the youth in the area into attacking the police station,” the witness said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the attack on the police station.
He said that the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale William, had pledged to deal with the masterminds of the attack, which he described as unprovoked.
Osifeso said that some of the perpetrators of the attack had been apprehended.
“Operatives of the command attached to Iganna Divisional Police Headquarters, while on legitimate duties on Elejoka-Igangan road, Iwajowa LGA, were attacked by hoodlums who were clearly opposed not only to the directive but also, to the relative tranquility in the axis.
“In furtherance of the above, and in a bid to drive home their point, the officers were attacked unprovoked by the assailants, leading to the death of the divisional crime officer and a civilian in custody.
“This was in the process of repelling the hoodlums from invading the divisional police headquarters at Iganna, after forcing themselves into the town.
“Also, the divisional police officer and a police inspector sustained several lacerations from machete cuts and are currently being stabilised at a government medical hospital,” he said. NAN
