By Okhide Em’ya David…
Contrary to media reports (not Alltimepost.com), Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Babatunde Johnson Kokumo has announced that the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr. Agabi Godiri who was shot by armed men in the state capital last Friday is indeed alive and recuperating fast at the hospital.
ACP Godiri is in charge of Benin Area Command Metro of the Edo State Police Command.
Investigation revealed that ACP Godiri could see off visitors from his sick bed, as he only sustained recoverable injuries during the attack because he was quick to have escaped after the gun attack by the ravaging gunmen.
He was said to have run into the operations of the armed men not decked in his official attire and as they opened fire on him, he quickly zoomed off from the area where he then called for police back-up who later came to restore law and order.
Edo State Police Commissioner, Kokumo who spoke through Telephone frowned at the spread of the rumor of death of the senior police officer, saying that happily he is alive and that the public space will not be left for miscreants to dominate as the Command has now rolled out measures to check criminal elements.
Kokumo blamed the increasing insecurity in the state on the jailbreak that happened on October 19 during #EndSARS agitation which was hijacked by hoodlums.
His words: “The police are working to ensure that this inter-cult group rivalry clashes are brought to an end. The entire system is cult infested and the police are doing level best to ensure that this ugly incident is tamed.”
He said the ACP was attacked on his way to work on Friday, contrary to media reports that he was shot while on a rescue mission with his two colleagues who were also shot.
Kokumon reminded the public that 2000 escapees are in circulation. “Don’t forget, policing Edo State without the escapees is not easy on its own, now we have 2000 escapees in circulations, coupled with the fact that the hoodlums who hijacked protest attacked security agencies carting away large cache of arms and ammunitions.”
“These escapees are out there on rampage, so we are not happy about it and the police are doing everything possible to see to it that they are brought to book.”
He assured the law abiding people that the Command had deployed enough men and “we have requested from the inspector general of police, IGP, Adamu Mohammad more hands in terms of increasing the numerical strength and the IGP has obliged our requests.”
The Commissioner described the report of the death of his Assistant Commissioner as “a total falsehood,” adding that he spoke with him “a couple of minutes ago” and “saw him on Saturday evening.”
Kokumo said the police officer is “in a stable condition” and “did not sustain a life-threatening injury.”
“It is unfortunate that the Assistant Commissioner was trapped at a scene where the cult members of different cult groups were into a serious fight,” he added.
Kokumo denied that the Force is “overwhelmed” by the increasing insecurity in the state, assuring that “we will get these criminal elements back to the prison within a short space of time.”
When asked if the police had released the images of those who escaped detention for public assistance, the Kokumo said: “We are working on assuring that in the new week, they will witness a new dimension in the fight against criminals. We have grand plans to remove all these criminals including the escapees.”
