Marine police foil attempt by militants to steal gun boat

Marine police officers, stationed at Epe Local Government Area of Lagos state, came under fire by dare-devil militants, who wanted to steal the station’s gun boat and ammunitions.

A source who spoke to Punch Newspapers, said “It was at about 12am that the militants invaded the Marine Police Post, Epe. Their mission was to kill the policemen and dismantle the security structures around the place so that they could embark on a bank robbery maybe on Monday.

“The gunfire lasted for several minutes, and the whole area was riddled with bullets. Eventually, they succeeded in sinking the gunboat. No policeman was killed but some might have been injured by the bullets.”

Read: Police reads riot act to street traders

Punch also reports that the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor said “The Epe Divisional Police Officer, the Rapid Response Squad and the CTU repelled the gunmen. The CP visited the place and ordered that the beach be electrified.

“The area commander, the DPO and other officers have made efforts to recover the gunboat. We are still working on it and we have fortified the area. Banks have been asked to go on with their usual activities, and there is no cause for alarm.

Read: Police find seven dead babies in apartment

“No arrests have been made so far. Efforts are on to replace the gunboat.”

The Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has since visited the station, and also instructed that proper surveillance be carried out on the waterways.