A gang of armed robbers on Thursday killed two policemen during an attack on a branch of Skye Bank Plc in Ifon, the headquarters of the Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.
An eyewitness, who declined to be named, told Punch the hoodlums numbering 15, stormed the bank at about 3pm when the branch had stopped transaction with customers.
The robbers were said to have blown up the bullet-proof door of the bank with a substance suspected to be dynamite before gaining entrance on an operation that reportedly lasted for about 40 minutes.
The eyewitness explained that on entering the banking hall, some of the robbers packed all the money in the bank’s vault, while others engaged the policemen guarding the bank in a gun duel.
It was gathered that stray bullets killed a yet-to-be-identified man near the bank
“They came in three vehicles; they were up to 15 in number. They were heavily armed. When they got to the bank, they could not enter because the bank had stopped attending to customers. So, they blew up the door with dynamite.
“For several minutes, they were shooting indiscriminately. Two of the policemen that engaged them were killed, but none of the robbers was killed during the shooting,” the eyewitness said.
Another source said it was when more policemen, who were deployed in the scene, engaged the robbers that the bandits ran away.
Ondo Police Public Relations Officer, Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident, saying the command deployed more officers and men in the scene while another team, led by the state Commissioner of Police, Gbenga Adeyanju, went to the area after receiving the information.
“It is unfortunate that we lost two of our men in the incident, but we are on the trail of the robbers. They went to the bank with sophisticated weapons, but our men still engaged them.
“The CP led the team from Akure to the scene. It was when they (robbers) knew that we were closing in on them that they ran away with bullet injuries.
“We shall get them because our men are still on their trail,” Mr Joseph said.
