From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Two police officers were Thursday killed by armed robbers who raided a branch Skye Bank Plc in Ifon, headquarters of Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The robbers, according to sources also stole a huge sum of money, even as they caused serious tension in the town for several hours.
Daily Sun learnt that the robbery incident put a halt to social and commercial activities in the town as residents living close to the bank ran for safety while the robbery operation lasted.
According to an eyewitness, the attackers numbering about 15 stormed the premises of the bank at about 4pm when the bank had already stopped transaction and broke the bullet-proof door of the bank with an explosive.
The eyewitness said “on entering into the bank, the robbers took all the money in the bank’s vault, while some of them engaged the policemen in a gun battle outside the banking hall.”
It was gathered that stray bullets killed a yet to be identified man at a clinic beside the bank.
The eyewitness said, “They came in three vehicles and they were up to 15. They were heavily armed. When they got to the bank they could not enter easily because the bank had stopped attending to customers. So they had to blow the door up with dynamite.
“For several hours, they were shooting everywhere and two of the policemen that engaged them were killed but none of the robbers was killed during the gun duel.”
Another source said it was when more policemen were deployed to the scene and engaged the robbers in shooting that they fled.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state police command, Mr. Femi Joseph confirmed the incident and said the command deployed more officers and men to the
scene, while another team led by the state commissioner of Police, Mr. Gbenga Adeyanju went to the scene immediately the command received the information.