Policeman, robbers die in bank raid

branch of First Bank Plc in Owo, Ondo State, carting away millions of naira from its vault and killing a policeman in the process.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state police command, Mr. Aremu Adeniran, confirmed the development in a telephone interview with our correspondent.

He, however, said the police killed three of the robbers and arrested four of them alive after they had robbed the bank.

He said the gang arrived at the bank around 11am and shot into the air to scare customers and staff of the bank.

Aremu added that the gang killed one mobile policeman and injured another one at Ipele Junction near Owo in their bid to escape to Edo State.

He said the police recovered one of the vehicles, a Toyota bus, used for the operation at Ifon while they chased the fleeing robbers to Sabongida Ora, where three of them were killed.

Adeniran also said an undisclosed amount of money stolen from the bank was recovered from the robbers.

An eyewitness said, “The robbers announced their arrival at the bank with sporadic gun shots to scare away the customers and security men at the bank.”

The witness added that the robbers held both the bank officials and their customers hostage before they gained entry to the bank fault.

Apart from that, they were said to have seized some money from customers and the tellers.

A source said, “During the operation, the robbers shot one policeman at the scene.”

Other banks in Akure, the state capital hurriedly closed their doors. Many customers were unable to transact business due to the development.

Adediran said, “Our men are up to the task. We will not allow criminals to hold our people to ransom or scare investors from this state. Investigation into the incident continues. “The policemen recovered one of the buses used by the robbers and recovered the money they stole.

“The policemen gave the robbers a hot chase from Owo town through Ifon where one of them was killed at Ipele junction.” He also said the policemen caught up with all of them at Sabongida-Ora in Edo State where they killed two and arrested four others. Adeniran said the suspects would soon be paraded by the state police command.