Armed robbers on
Monday night invaded Ikare Akoko in Ondo State and blew up three banks in the
community with dynamite.
The affected banks
are Ecobank Plc, Wema Bank Plc and First Bank Plc.
Fear gripped the
residents following the sporadic gun shots that ensued after each blast.
Our correspondent
learnt that five people who went near scenes of the attacks of the incident were
hit by stray bullets. continue to see the pictures.
While sources put the
number of those that died at five, police authorities in the state said two
persons died.
Those who died,
according to some residents are a pastor, two okada riders, a security guard and
a teenager identified simply as Oniwu.
PUNCH Metro learnt
that the robbers on their arrival in the town went straight to the police
station and dislodged the security personnel.
It was further
learnt that some of the policemen fled to Owo, a distance of about 50 kilometres
and Akure, where they sought reinforcement.
The robbers had
moved to the premises of the affected banks before the arrival of more security
personnel.
Although all the
banks were destroyed by the impact of the dynamite, the First Bank branch was
razed.
It was gathered
that the robbers carried out the operations simultaneously at the three banks
after demobilising an Armoured Personnel Carrier stationed at Ikare.
The driver of the
APC, and a policeman, who were hit by bullets were said to be on a danger list
at an undisclosed hospital. Also, it was learnt that those who sustained
injuries were being treated in hospitals within and outside the town.
Our correspondent
further learnt that a group of armed robbers had earlier on Monday evening laid
siege to the Akure/Owo highway and dispossessed travellers of their
valuables.
They were said to
have been dislodged by policemen who engaged them in a gun battle during which
two of them were killed.
The Police Public
Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Aremu Adeniran, confirmed the
incidents.
He explained that
those who died came out of their homes when they heard the gun shots.
The police
spokesman said more policemen had been deployed in the town while efforts were
being made to apprehend the fleeing robbers.
He said, “The DPO
of Ikare, Mr. Aliyu Lukman, made a distress call to the headquarters and
reinforcement was sent to Ikare immediately. The timely intervention of the
police did not allow the robbers to gain access to the banks’ vaults.
“Our men also on
Monday evening killed one armed robber and arrested four others who blocked the
Owo-Akure Road to steal from travellers.”