By Christopher Odamah, Warri
WARRI: Two warders and a suspect awaiting trial were yesterday killed as dare devil suspected kidnappers ambushed warders in the oil rich city of Warri taking suspected kidnappers and other suspect awaiting trials to court.
The incident took place at the Esisi Road Junction along Okere Road, Warri between the hours of 8.30am and 9.00am.
The armed gang were said to have operated in a Camry car and a Lexus Jeep parked at the ever-busy Okere Road.
While confirming the report on phone to The Urhobo Today Online yesterday morning said that the gunmen laid an ambush for the court-bound van at Okere road, Warri Area Commander, Mr. Hussaini Rabiu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), said information available to the police showed that two prison warden and an inmate who was being taken with others to an undisclosed court in the district were killed instantly when the gunmen launched the attack.
ACP Rabiu disclosed that three other prison officials who sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries were receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the area.
Rabiu, however said that policemen were sent on the trail of the fleeing attackers as soon as information about the attack reached him.
He further disclosed that three of the prison inmates, who fled with the attackers after the encounter, have been re-arrested by the police and handed over to the Prisons Department in Warri.
An eye witness said that “Some morning worshippers in the premises of Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral also ran for cover as no one knew exactly what the gunshots were all about.”
According to the eye witness, who pleaded anonymity said also, “People were as usual busy here; the traders with people selling and buying and vehicles and many people moving you know, it was the morning peak hour with the school-run and all that….”.
Some Residents of the oil rich city of Warri who spoke blamed the Federal Government and Prison authorities for not providing enough security for the warders and requested that the warders should be properly equipped to face the present day security challenges.