10 killed as robbers raid banks in Ogun

Posted by admin Headlines, Ogun, State News Thursday, November 24th, 2011

No fewer than 10 people were killed early yesterday, as dare-devil robbers raided three commercial banks in Sagamu, Ogun State. This came barely two weeks after a similar incident at the Permanent site of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye in Ijebu North Local Government Area of the state, leaving three persons dead among whom were students of the tertiary institution.
In the attack which lasted about an hour, the hoodlums raided three new generation banks located along the Sabo/Akarigbo area of the Remo town.

Daily Sun gathered that the robbers struck in the area at about 10.45 a.m. used explosives on the security doors of the affected banks before gaining entry to the banking halls.
The robbers were said to have operated in a white Toyota Hummer bus, shooting sporadically in their attempts at scare away members of the vigilance group who in the past had resisted their exploits.
It was further learnt that before the onslaught, the robbers had allegedly given notice warning members of the town’s dreaded vigilance group to steer clear during their raid.

“In one of the banks in which I was unfortunately a victim, we were asked to lie face down after which they dispossessed us of our valuables and later went into the vault of the banks. My brother, in many “Ghana Must Go’’, they carted away several millions of naira as well as hard currencies.
Another eye-witness who said he narrowly escaped death had his Toyota pick-up van riddled with bullets. He added that the hoodlums were challenging men of Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) to come out and dare them.
“I had already lodged in my cheque and was on my way out. But suddenly, I just started hearing ‘ole, ole’, and there was the sporadic shooting, very heavy one. I was already on the road, so there was nothing I could do than to abandon the vehicle on the way, I ran out of the vehicle and suddenly they started shooting at my vehicle,” the source explained.

While it lasted, the robbery incident paralyzed all commercial activities in the area with many shops and offices forced opened.
Among the victims of the robbery incident was Akanni Amusa, a member of the town Vigilance group which had earlier dared the hoodlums engaging them in shootout.
Aside from Amusa, two Okada riders, a woman and one Hausa man and two other unidentified men were victims of the robbery attack.
Among those that received severe injuries was the Commander of the vigilance group, Mr. Musibau Araokanmi who is currently receiving treatment at the Olabisi Onabanjo Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu.
A car wash attendant in the town, Mr. Muyiwa Ogunade who also sustained gun wound on the head was later admitted at Idera Private Hospital, in Ajaka area.

As at the time of filing this report, men and officers of the state police command had been deployed to the area with many bank officials lamenting the attack.
The state Police Public Relation Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi when contacted said the state commissioner of police, Mr. Nicholas Nkemdeme was on his way to the scene of the incident. He later confirmed only two dead.

-Sunwp_posts