The Edo State Police Command said on Wednesday that its operatives killed a notorious armed robber and cultist, who escaped from the Correctional Centre in Benin during the October 2020 End SARS riots.
The Spokesman of the Command, Bello Kotongs, said in a statement that the suspect, known as Fidelis Ekata, had been on the wanted list of the Command for long before he was sighted in Uromi axis of the state with his gang members, where he was gunned down.
According to the statement, the deceased died of gunshots wound he sustained when he took on police operatives in Uromi.
“Today 02/03/2022 at about 1000hrs Operatives of Edo State Police Command, acting on credible information that a notorious armed robber/cultist popularly known as Ekata and an escapee of the Edo State Correctional Center Benin during the October 2020 EndSARS Protests, who has been on the Command’s wanted list, was sighted somewhere in Uromi town in company of his other gang members.
“On receipt of the information, the Area Commander, Uromi, immediately deployed a team of Police Operatives to the location. On sighting the team of operatives, the gang opened fire on them, while the team gallantly responded.
“In the ensuing gun duel, one Fidelis Ekata ‘M’ who is the gang leader of the armed robbers/cultist sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to General Hospital Uromi for treatment but was confirmed dead by the Doctor on duty, while other gang members escaped with gunshot injuries.
“Effort is on to ensure the arrest of the fleeing gang members.
“The following items were recovered from the dead gang leader. One cut to size gun and one live cartridge.
The commissioner of police Edo State Command while commending the gallantry exhibited by the team, advised criminals in the State to eschew criminality or risk been arrested.”
