Charles Achidika, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Adeniji Adele, Lagos State, was among three other suspected pipeline vandals shot and severely injured by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), while they were trying to make away with the 12,000 litres of petroleum product they had siphoned from a pipeline they had vandalized.
Senior police officer leads pipeline vandals in Lagos
A senior police officer was shot and injured while leading a team of pipeline scandals.
According the report in the Punch, Achidika and his gang were shot during an exchanmge of gun fire with the NSCDC patrol team on the Badagry Waterways around 2am on December 2, while heading towards the Seme Border to offload the illegal product.
They are said to be battling for their lives at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital where they were rushed to.
It was gathered that police officer was the first to open fire on the Civil Defense team when the boat he and his gang was flagged down, before team responded and the gang was overpowered.
While the three suspects were injured, five other suspects were arrested, including Bendran Isaac, Kobla Fashawo, Jimoh Olusegun, Akapo Joseph, and Amos Bakom.
It was gathered that an AK-47 rifle with the Nigeria Police Force inscribed on it and a pistol were recovered from them.
But the ASP who managed to talk to journalists, denied being a part of the vandals, claiming they were conveying him to a spot where he wanted to apprehend some robbers before he was shot.
“I am the Officer-in-Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad attached to Badagry.
We went for an anti-robbery operation. During the operation, officers of the NSCDC shot me. I didn’t go there to steal fuel. I don’t have the strength to talk.”
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