About 10 suspected robbers at the weekend engaged the police in a gun battle in a hotel in Ogidi, Anambra State.
The suspects, including two women, were said to be operating in the hotel when the police arrived, following a tip-off.
The Nation gathered that the suspects locked the hotel gate on sighting the police and engaged them in gun duel, which lasted close to an hour.
A source said one of the suspects sustained gunshot injuries while attempting to disarm a police officer.
“He was later arrested with the female robbers and is receiving treatment. The rest escaped,” the source added.
Confirming the incident, police spokesman Haruna Mohammed said six of the suspects were arrested, adding that their accomplices escaped.
He said one fabricated pistol, three live cartridges, one axe, two empty shells, quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and Tramadol drugs were recovered from them.
Mohammed said
: “About 4pm, there was intelligence report at Ogidi Division that suspected robbers/cultists were sighted at Paradise Hotel, Ogidi brandishing weapons.
“Following the report, detectives attached to Ogidi division rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area.
“The gang, on sighting the police, locked the entrance of the hotel and engaged the police in fierce gun duel, which lasted more than 30 minutes.
“The police responded, but with restraint, to avert civilian casualties.
“As a result, one of the suspects, Ugochukwu Okafor, male, sustained gunshot injuries on his buttocks while trying to disarm a police officer.”
He added that the suspects would be arraigned after investigation.