by Oke Efagene

A senior police officer identified as Iheme Wilfred, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) at  Ijare town in Ifedore Local Government area of Ondo state has been reportedly dead, killed by armed robbers.

It was gathered that the victim, who was the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) in Ijare Police Division, and other officers were on their official duty posts when they were attacked by the bandits.

Sources claim that the robbers who had carried out an operation at Ikere, Ekiti State last Thursday, were trying to escape through Ondo State, when the incident occurred.

According to reports:

On meeting the security men on the Ijare-Ikere road, they opened fire on the leader of the team.

Immediately,the senior police officers was killed, other members of the team on patrol  were said to have fled into the bush, giving the men of the underworld opportunity to pack their arms.

The robbers were said to have earlier attacked a commercial bank in Ikere Ekiti and carted away unspecified amount of money.

Similarly, Police sources said the deceased got information that the robbers who operated in Ekiti state were heading towards Ijare in Ondo state which is a border town of the two states.

He consequently ordered his men to lay ambush for them but unfortunately got fired as the robbers first sighted him.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO)  Wole Ogodo, who confirmed the incident said men of the State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) have commenced a search for the bandits and expressed confidence that very soon, they would be apprehended.

He said” It happened on Thursday night the officer and his men were on duty when the robbers struck and killed him, we have commenced investigation on it and I am sure the robbers would soon be arrested.

Ogodo said the remains of the dead Senior police Officer had been deposited in a mortuary at the State Hospital, Akure .