How 9 police officers, 11 civilians were killed in Offa robbery -DPO

Former District Police Officer (DPO) of Offa police station, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State Adamu Danjuma yesterday narrated in graphic details how armed robbers on April 5th, 2018 allegedly killed 9 police officers and 11 civilians when they attacked five banks in the town.

Danjuma, who was the station’s DPO then said he luckily escaped the robbers’ bullets.

All the accused Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salahudeen Azeez, and Niyi Ogundiran were present in court yesterday.

While giving evidence in a Kwara State High Court, Ilorin at the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, Danjuma who is the fifth prosecution witness said the armed robbers allegedly destroyed the police armoury and carted away 21 AK47 rifles and also used explosive to attack banks and the police post.

He gave the names of the police officers and men that were gunned down by the suspected robbers as Julius Pelemo (ASP), Yusuf Danjuma (Inspector), Grace Makinde (Inspector), and Oke Kayode (Inspector).

Others are Sergeants Mustapha Kolawole, Bilikisu Babawale, Abimbola Adedokun, Yootum Nakoma, and Monday Isa.

He said “On the said date at about 4:45 pm, I heard a gunshot from the direction of Captain Cook Eatery Junction in the town; two minutes interval, I heard sporadic shootings from that direction heading towards my police station. Immediately, I came out of my office to the charge room (counter). The shootings were approaching the station.

“In response, I also fired gunshots into the air from my pistol. As a result, there was a temporary stoppage of shootings from outside. Suddenly, the shootings started coming in from different directions towards the station. A lady who was manning the pedestrian gate was shot in one of her arms making her abandon the place and ran for her dear life. The shootings continued.

“Thereafter, the robbers released explosive into the security tower of the station. Another explosive was released and it hit the main road and bored a deep hole on the role. This melee disorganized the whole station. Then the ammunition in my pistol had got exhausted. This made me run for cover at the back of the station’s mosque.

“At the back of the mosque, I sighted three of the armed robbers chasing ASP Julius Pelemo to the back of the station’s fence. Then I heard the shout of the late Julius after a gunshot. Then I heard one of the robbers calling those ones that ran after the late ASP to come over to the charge room (counter). One of them entered the Surveillance Office and shot dead a policewoman. From then, two of them ran to the charge room (counter).

Hearing of the case continues today.

He said he was instrumental to the conveyance of the 17 corpses to the General Hospital in Ilorin for autopsy and got their death certificates.