Gunmen kill driver in Delta Govt House

Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers, on Thursday, attacked the Delta State Government House Annex, Warri, when members of the Delta State Waterways Security Committee were holding a meeting, killing a driver attached to the annex.

 The incident, sources told our correspondent, occurred at 11.12am on Thursday amid sporadic gunshots.

It was learnt that the incident created apprehension among residents of Edjeba community as security agents attached to the annex located along the Warri NPA Expressway in Edjeba also ran into safety during the attack.

The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Boro Opodu, and his members also fled for safety during the incident.

Our correspondent gathered that the gunmen trailed the late driver, who was said to be carrying a huge amount of money meant for officials of the Waterways Committee, to the Government House.

The gunmen were said to have rained bullets on the driver as he made to drive into the building.

It was gathered that despite the gunshots, the deceased drove into the premises with bullet wounds and later died before he could be rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

“The gunmen reportedly trailed one of our drivers who was sent to cash some money for the Delta State Waterways Security committee who were having a meeting at the annex.

“We all fled for safety including the security agents because nobody knew what was happening; we only heard sound of gunshots. They entered the Government House with the driver trying to collect the money. We were all afraid,” an eyewitness told our correspondent.

But when contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, told our correspondent on the phone that it was a mere robbery attack and  not an attack on the Government House.

Aniagwu confirmed the killing of the driver while also disclosing that the robbers could not make away with the undisclosed sum the driver was carrying.

He stated that two of the three robbers were arrested by the military while one was arrested by the police.

“As he was driving back they were pursuing him and out of panic, as he was getting close to the Government House, he rammed into the Government House gates and ran out of the car to escape. They started shooting at the vehicle and all that, but unfortunately we lost him.”

Opudu declined to speak on the incident when contacted by our correspondent. He promised to call our correspondent later, but he never did.

The spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, SP Celestina Kalu, also confirmed the incident but could not immediately give details.