Posted by By JULIANA FRANCIS on
Twenty-five of the 45 suspected robbers who raided the Alaba Community Bank at the Alaba International market, Ojo, recently have been arrested.
Twenty-five of the 45 suspected robbers who raided the Alaba Community Bank at the Alaba International market, Ojo, recently have been arrested.
The suspects were arrested after a bloody gun battle with the police which left them with gunshot wounds. Others were said to have escaped. Recovered from them were one Volkswagen bus, marked XJ 02 FKY, iron cutter, sledge hammer, seven chisels, two motorcycles and 500 expended shells of 7.65mm calibre ammunition.
Daily Sun gathered that at about 1.00a.m. on March 12, 45 bandits drove into the Alaba Community Bank. They were said to have broken open the vault and made away with large sum of money.
Confirming the report, the Lagos State Police spokesman, Mr Olubode Ojajuni explained that immediately police received the distress call, a team comprising conventional and mobile policemen raced to the scene.
According to him, the robbers attempted to ambush the policemen by blocking the way to get to the scene of the crime but the crime busters, outwitted them.
He added: "After protracted exchange of gunfire, the robbers succumbed to the dogged police teams. In the process, 25 suspects were arrested with bullet wounds. The suspects have made useful statements."
In a similar development, the police in Lagos have foiled an attempted pipeline vandalisation by some group of unknown people at the Ijegun area of Ikotun.
Police were said to have raced to the scene after a tip-off from an anonymous source. On sighting the policemen, the vandals bolted, leaving behind one trailer tanker marked NI XE 902 MUS filled with substance suspected to be petroleum product.
Ojajuni said NNPC officials have been contracted to effect repairs on the vandalised pipeline. Investigation, however, continues.