Two policemen and five members of an armed robbery gang which invaded a hotel in Ajah area of Lagos State last week, were killed yesterday during a gun shootout between the police and the robbery gang.
The slain policemen were stationed to a hotel around Ajao Estate when a gang of armed robbers invaded the hotel around 4 am on Sunday.
The fallen armed robbers were later identified to be members of the gang that killed the owner of 04 Hotel in Ajah, last Sunday, before setting the hotel on fire
Nigerian Pilot gathered that the clampdown for the wanted armed robbers started Saturday night when the police received a distress call that they were operating around Ajao Estate.
The eight – man armed robbery gang had reportedly, early Sunday killed two policemen, who were on guard at an unnamed hotel in Ajao Estate along Airport Road.
The armed robbers had reportedly invaded the hotel in three vehicles, including two SUVs and a Honda Odyssey space bus.
It was learnt that detectives attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) led by their commander, SP Abba Kyari were deployed after the robbers, who were given a hot chase.
The police team intercepted the armed robbers at Stadium road, Surulere before they later caught up with them again at the end of Eko bridge, Lagos Island at about 4:00a.m, during which a gun duel started . At the end of the fierce gun duel, five of the robbers were shot dead, while three others escaped with bullet wounds.
The Honda Odyssey space wagon bus, four automatic Pump Action Rifles, PARs, four Brownie pistols and a revolver pistol, were recovered from the gang.
When contacted for her reaction, calls to the mobile phones of the state public relations officer of the state police command, Ngozi Braide, were not answered.