Tamale, March 16, GNA - Three policemen who were on duty at Bole on Tuesday were attacked and an AK 47 rifle snatched away by three robbers who were ridding unregistered motorbikes.

Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, the Public Relations Officer of the Northern Regional Police, told the Ghana News Agency that the policemen were on duty at about 2300 hours on Tuesday when the robbers struck. He said the police saw the three robbers on two unregistered motorbikes and signalled them stop but they ignored the order.

They suddenly pulled-up close to the policemen and attacked the team leader who was holding a rifle.

Chief Inspector Tettey said the robbers sped off on their unregistered motorbikes after seizing the gun and the police pursued them. When the robbers got to Benyukua, a village close to Bole, they ran out of fuel, abandoned their bikes and tried to flee but opened fire when they saw the police.

The police returned fire resulting in the death of one, injury to one while the other escaped into the bush with gunshot wounds. He said the body of the dead had been deposited at the Bole Hospital and the injured was also receiving treatment at the same hospital. He said the police are investigating and urged the public and the health institutions in the area to be on the lookout and assist the police to arrest the escaped robber by reporting anybody with gunshot wounds to the police.

In a related development, Chief Inspector Tetteh said some people were massing-up to attack the police in Bole over the police action. He said the Northern Command of the police had beefed-up security in the area to maintain law and order and appealed to people not to take the law into their own hands since the law would not spare anyone who does so.