From Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti
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Pandemonium broke out  in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti state, on Thursday, following the death of a police officer who was shot dead by a gang of armed robbers, while trying to chase them.

The Hope Metro  gathered that the  bandits, had earlier terrorised a business premises and robbed a petrol station along Fajuyi-Secretariat road.

The policeman, who  drove a police van, on sighting the hoodlums,  reportedly gave the robbers a hot chase while they were trying to escape through the old Iyin –Ilawe road.

An eye witness account said the deceased had trailed the bandits  up to NTA junction, where the hoodlums were said to have waited and blocked the way in readiness for a gun duel .

“When he chased them up to that point, the armed robbers used their vehicle to block the way and rained bullets on the car.

“The bullets  hit the driver of the vehicle  and he died on the spot ,after which the robbers sped off with their car.”

The sound of the assorted rifles brandished by the bandits were said to have caused confusion within the vicinity, a development which made people around the area to run for their dear lives.

Even workers  coming to the Ekiti State House of Assembly and the state secretariat as well as motorists going to Ilawe-Ekiti road  scampered for safety, apparently to prevent being caught in the gunfire.

“Some of the motorists had to take a detour to  escape the scene because the sound of the guns caused panic in the area”, said source..

It was learnt that police officers from the State police command later rushed to the scene to evacuate the corpse which was   deposited  at  the  morgue of the Ekiti State University Teaching  hospital.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti  State Command, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, said, “The attack on the police officer could have been a reaction of criminal elements to the cleansing operation being carried out by the command.

“You know that since our new police commissioner, Mr. Asuquo Amba came on board, he introduced a Joint Task Force  carrying out ‘Operation Make Ekiti Safe’ which had led to the arrest of many criminals.

“The men carrying out the operation were drawn from  the Army, Police, Immigration and NSCDC . They were diligent in their duties and this might be one of those ways to frustrate us by criminals.

“We are assuring our people that we remain focused. We won’t be discouraged by this incident. We shall trail the perpetrators of this crime and make sure they face the full weight of the law.

As at the time of filing this report, security men, including armed soldiers, mobile policemen, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been deployed to all strategic locations across the state, including all entrances to Ado-Ekiti.

Our correspondent observed that the police conducted a stop and search of vehicles,  commercial motorcycles, while passengers were made to alight from where the armed men were stationed.