The gun duel occurred in the early hours of the day in the forest linking Isselle-Azagba, Ibusa and Ogwashi-Uku along the Benin-Asaba-Onitsha Expressway.
The felled suspects were alleged to be terrorising travelers on the expressway, dispossessing them of their belongings.
But the SARS operatives, who got wind of the nefarious activities of the herdsmen, swiftly mobilised and combed the said forest, where the suspects had established their hide-out.
Parading the dead bodies of the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Asaba, the Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, DSP Celestina Kalu, said: “The hoodlums, who have been identified as Fulani herdsmen, opened fire on the patrol team.
“The police team, following the rule of engagement, returned fire and fatally wounded three of the miscreants while one escaped.
“DSP Kalu listed items recovered from the suspects to include one AK 47 rifle with rusty breach number, two AK 47 live ammunition, one locally made single barrel gun, one dagger, one cutlass, six handsets and assorted female bags.
According to her, the police were still combing the forest with a view to arresting the members of the gang, who fled with bullet wounds.
She warned criminals in the guise of herdsmen to desist from crime as the command would not rest on its oars until criminal elements were flushed out of the state.
“The command wishes to warn all criminally minded Fulani herdsmen and other criminal elements to either have a change of heart or relocate from the state as the command will not spare any effort in bringing all hoodlums to justice,” she said.
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