Date: 2015-03-01

There was a heavy exchange of gun fire between a suspected hoodlum and a combined team of security operatives in Anifowose, Pakata area of Ilorin, Kwara State capital yesterday.

In the ensuing crossfire, the suspect was said to have been gunned down and killed while an unidentified security operative among the security team sustained wound on his arm as a result of bullet fired at him by the suspect.

An eyewitness said that the security operatives had been on the trail of the suspect for the past three days.

The suspect was said to be hiding in the apartment he rented for his mother and wife at Anifowoshe annex when the security operatives consisting of men of the Nigeria Army and Air Force, swooped on him.

A resident of the area told Journalists that the suspect was likely to be a hardened criminal with the way he engaged the security personnel in gunfight.

When the gun duel became intense, the suspect was said to have hidden himself in the ceiling while security forces were relentless in pursuing him.

It was gathered that the stern looking security men surrounded a story-building the suspect was taking refuge while heavy bombardment ensued.

Residents of the area were held hostage for hours while the main road around Government Girls Day Secondary School was blocked by the security team, thus preventing vehicular movement from both sides.

A team of the Kwara state special security operatives code named ‘Operation Harmony’ was also drafted to join in the operation.

However, luck ran against the suspect after he allegedly exhausted bullets in his gun, ostensibly making it possible for the operatives to overpower him.

He was said to have been severally shot on his head and leg before he eventually gave up.

The security men were said to have taken away the suspect’s lifeless body.

A source said, “we started noticing sporadic gunshots around 2am in the early hours of yesterday. We thought it was political thugs that were fighting. Later, we discovered it was the Ebira man who rented an apartment for his mother and wife in the area that engaged in gun duel with security men. Among them were soldiers and Air Force.

“I think they have been on his trail for three days because they were about evicting him from the house. I knew him (the suspect) to be a policeman. But with the way he was shooting, he must be a notorious hoodlum.

“Before the operation started, they evacuated every occupant of the building out and seized their phones while the suspect had gone into hiding. Later, it was discovered that he was hiding in the roof. They overpowered him, though he shot a soldier in his arm during the gunfight”.

When our correspondent arrived the scene around 12:30pm, the building was riddled with bullets.