The Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media, Crusoe Osagie, said that the hoodlums exchanged fire with security operatives at the Maximum prison in Benin City.

“The hoodlums are currently exchanging fire with the security personnel at the Maximum security prison in Oko, Benin City,” Osagie told Channels Television.

Three police stations were reported to have been burnt by the hoodlums.

Some of the police stations affected include the Ugbekun and Idogbo Police Stations in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state.

The #EndSARS protests calling for an end to police brutality; extrajudicial killings and scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) – a unit of the police force notorious for human rights abuse –  have continued for over 12 days.

Irked by the move, more Nigerians trooped to the streets, calling for the rejection of the new unit.

They argue that the introduction of SWAT is ill-timed and does not align with their demands for a reformation of the country’s policing system.