4 Policemen, 15 Persons Feared Killed By Daredevil Armed Robbers In Ondo

IN a deadly robbery operation, two sets of robbers invaded Ikare-Akoko, the commercial centre of the northern part of Ondo State yesterday killing 15 persons and four policemen.

The casualties are likely customers who came to transact business in a first generation bank.

The robbers who are believed to belong to the same gang simultaneously attacked the bank located at Jubilee area of the town and the police station at Owo road apparently to prevent the officers from moving to disrupt their operation at the bank.

An unspecified amount of money was said to have been carted away by the robbers who, while escaping after spending over one hour that sent cold shivers down the spines of residents who fled for safety, killed another driver whose car they snatched, to escape.

Eyewitness accounts said that the robbers who were dressed in military camouflage launched the attack at exactly 3.pm after arriving at the gates of the bank which they brought down with dynamite and started shooting everyone in sight including three persons who were withdrawing money at the ATM machines outside the bank who died instantly.

As they gained entrance, some of them stayed at the gate by the military vehicle that brought them to ward off any counter-attack from law enforcement agencies while the attack at the police station in which four policemen were killed was going on.

Inside the bank, customers were ordered to lie face down, but in the melee that ensued, as the bank was crowded with customers, about 11 persons including someone who was said to be a former union leader in the state, were shot dead.

Many of the customers were robbed of their cash and other valuables while the bank’s vault was allegedly forced open including money on the counters were also taken away by the robbers.

A source who called The Guardian on phone while the attack was going on said he was speaking from a safe distance from the spot. But despite that, the sound of loud gunshot could be heard at the background.

As at the time of filing this report, the centre of the town was deserted, with the victims’ bodies lying on the ground. 

When contacted, Ondo Police spokesman, Wole Ogodo, said he had not been fully briefed about the robbery as he and other officers were at the Akure airport to ensure the safe departure of President Goodluck Jonathan who was in Ado-Ekiti for political campaign.

Source:
Guardian Newspaper