Robbers bomb three banks, kill five in Ondo

MAY 2, 2012 BY SUNDAY ABORISADE 

A hall of one of the attacked banks.
| credits: Sunday Aborisade

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. 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.”

SOURCE: The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper 2 April 2012.