Posted by By NWAGBO NNENYELIKE, Ilorin on
A police constable was shot dead while an Inspector sustained gun wound in a failed robbery attempt on a bank in Unity area of Ilorin, Kwara State early Monday morning. Also wounded was a trailer driver caught in cross fire between the police and the robbers numbering about 30.
A police constable was shot dead while an Inspector sustained gun wound in a failed robbery attempt on a bank in Unity area of Ilorin, Kwara State early Monday morning. Also wounded was a trailer driver caught in cross fire between the police and the robbers numbering about 30.
Daily Sun learnt that the men of the underworld who blocked all the entrances leading to GTB terrorised the residents of the area for about four hours, shooting sporadically, and that the driver of the trailer with registration number Abuja XK 746 ABC was shot in the shoulder when he ran into the scene . He, however, escaped. The robbers fired series of shot on the windscreen, and other parts of the trailer.
They were also said to have escaped with an Audi 80. It was gathered that when the robbers arrived the bank, they disarmed the two policemen on duty. The slain cop, Kayode of a gun and teargas. Amuda, attached to Division B Police Surulere, Ilorin was said to be conveying a woman on his motorcycle as an Okada rider when he ran into the scene.
The Police Public Relations Officers Gideon Markus (DSP) who confirmed that Amuda was not on duty said he was killed by the stray bullet of the robbers who also sprayed bullets on the police vehicle, adding that there may be casualties on the side of the robbers as there were blood stains in the bank premises.
The police spokesman, said the Police got a distress call at about 15 minutes to midnight that robbers numbering over 30 were in the Bank. 'We mobilised our men with two vehicles. But close to the bank, the robbers were shooting sporadically. It was a fire galore as we replied them. But their firepower overcame that of our men. We withdrew and reinforced from our Mobile Police Base.
They gained entry into the bank, but the door is bulletproof. They used the gas cylinder to force the door open. As we came we distracted them. They had already gone in and were about to enter the strong room, when our men arrived and stopped them.
They opened fire again and as they shot continuously they escaped. But I can tell they did not steal any money as they did not gain entry to the strong room. Markus said that this was the third attempt in the past six months by robbers to rob banks without success in Kwara State.
He assured that the police would not rest until the robbers are tracked down, adding that a serious investigation has commenced. On why not even a single robber was arrested out of about 30, the Police Image-maker queried, °How are we going to arrest in that situation? Their firepower was stronger than ours. But we believe that there are casualties on their side. There are blood stains in the bank premises. But I can assure you that we will arrest them very soon.
Meanwhile, early morning Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State, Bukar Maina alongside other senior Police Officers visited the bank even as Ilorin residents were at the bank to see what happened in the bank.
The Kwara State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed who was there told newsmen that the State Government would beef up more security to ensure that property and lives of people in the state are safe.