Car thieves open fire on So-Safe officers in Ogun, one arrested
Some men suspected to be members of an armed robbery gang specialised in stealing cars opened fire on operatives of the So-Safe Corps in Atan, Ado-Odo Local Government Area of Ogun State on Friday.
The So-Safe Corps officers, however, apprehended a member of the gang as one officer got injured.
A statement released by the State Commander of the Corps, Soji Ganzallo, through the office of the Director of Information and Public Relations of the Corps, Moruf Yusuf, explained that the incident occurred at about 01:15 am on Friday.
Ganzallo disclosed that the special team of the corps on routine patrol had sighted the four gang members at New Life Community, Olokopupo, Atan, “suspectedly strategizing to embark on a criminal activity.”
The statement said that the So-Safe operatives challenged the suspects, “and they responded by opening fire at the officers.”
Ganzallo noted that the team succeeded in apprehending one of them and recovered one locally-made pistol with three live cartridges from him.
He identified the arrested suspect as 33-year-old Saheed Ade, a resident of Ipokia Local Government.
According to Ganzallo, the apprehended suspect had confessed that the three gang members who escaped arrest – T. J, Monsuru and Yusuf, are residents of Ipokia LG too.
Ade was said to have revealed that their mission in Atan was “to steal a Sienna car bought from their boss, Dao, who lives in Cotonou, Republic of Benin and to return the Sienna car to him in Cotonou so as to resell it back to Nigeria in a different colour.”
Meanwhile, Ganzallo stated that he had ordered the Agbara Area Command of the Corps to work with the police in getting the fleeing culprits arrested.
While saying the police in Atan Divisional Headquarters are investigating the matter, the Commander added that the arrested armed robber and an officer of the corps were taken to the hospital to treat the injuries sustained during the operation.
