By Jimitota Onoyume

PORT HARCOURT—FOUR persons lost their lives, yesterday, in a gun battle between Police and armed robbers at Agip area of Port Harcourt.

Details at press time were sketchy, but the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, confirmed the development to the Vanguard.

According to him, the police acted on a tip-off that robbers were in a hotel in the area and stormed the spot.

He said: “Our men stormed the hideout of an armed robbery gang that specializes in car snatching. As gun battle ensued, they went on sporadic shooting while escaping, killing four persons.”

Muhammad said police recovered six vehicles, a spray machine gun and seven dynamites from the robbers.

In a related development, unconfirmed source said a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state was shot in Bakana, Degema Local Government Area.

When Vanguard called the publicity secretary of the party in the state, Mr. Chris Finebone, he said he was not aware of the incident.

However, a community source insisted the state executive member of the party was shot, but could not provide details.