A senior lecturer at the University of Benin, Dr Godwin Omofonwa, has been shot dead by a gang of suspected armed robbers in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.
He was shot dead at his residence in Evbuomore quarters in the early hours of Wednesday.
It was gathered that the robbers dispossessed him and others of their belongings.
One of the armed robbers was, however, shot dead during a gun duel with the police while five others fled.
Confirming the incident, the University’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Michael Osasuyi, said the deceased was the examination officer of the Faculty of Education.
“It is a very big blow to the university; the vice-chancellor is saddened and commiserates with members of the family. We pray and hope that everybody puts hands together to support the government and the police.
“The police cannot perform magic; they work with information. Anybody who has useful information should give it to the law enforcement agencies so that they can comb the area and restore peace to the state.”
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Kokumo, told newsmen in Benin that the command received a distress call around 1.14am on Wednesday, adding that some policemen were immediately deployed in the scene.
“In the ensuing gun battle, one of the marauders was shot dead, while others escaped. Sadly, Dr Godwin Omofonwa, a lecturer in the Department of Education, University of Benin, died from gunshot wounds he received from the robbers.
“This particular incident is an isolated case as crime has been on a downward trend since my assumption of office as the Commissioner of Police, Edo State. The police have been on the trail of this particular group of hoodlums, who have been troubling the vicinity, until one of them met his Waterloo,” he added.
Kokumo noted that items recovered from the killed robbers included three mobile phones belonging to the deceased lecturer, a single-barrelled gun, an iron cutter, one live and 12 expended cartridges and a torch.
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