Robbers Storms Bank Killing Police n Pregnant Woman Many Injured

The gunmen, suspected to be militants, who attacked some banks in Festac area of Lagos last month, killing a mother of two and two other banks earlier at Ikorodu and Lekki areas of Lagos, were reportedly clad in military camouflage, with black bands tied around their heads.

Over 10 gunmen, yesterday, stormed some banks in Agbara area of Ogun State, killing a mobile policeman attached to one of the banks.

About 12 persons, including a pregnant woman, were reportedly hit by stray  bullets from the rampaging robbers, while several others sustained varying degrees of injury in the ensuing stampede

They were said to have stormed Bank Road, where about nine banks are located,  at about 8 am in two vehicles, a Toyota Sienna and  Camry, announcing their presence with sporadic gunshots which sent residents and passers-by scampering for safety.

They reportedly denoted a dynamite in front of one of the first generation banks as two policemen who attempted to repel the attack were shot.

While one of them, Corporal Kadiri, was said to have died on the spot, while doctors at an undisclosed hospital battled to save the life of the other cop who was shot in the right rib.

Eyewitnesses said four of the gunmen entered the first generation bank, collected the guns from the policemen that were shot and used the guns to shatter the Automated Teller Machines in the bank’s premises.

The eyewitnesses said the robbers proceeded into the banking hall where they ordered everyone to lie down and demanded for the bank’s manager with the vault’s key. It could not, however, be ascertained if they penetrated the vault.

It was learned that other members of the gang outside the bank positioned themselves strategically to ward off intruders, firing non-stop.

In the process, stray bullets reportedly hit passers-by, including an unidentified pregnant woman who was clad in black trousers and a multicoloured shirt.

An eyewitness who gave his name as Musibau Kazeem, recounted: “The whole place was like a theatre of war, they were over 15 in number. They came on motorcycles  and in two cars. They came with explosives, firing indiscriminately.

“I hid under a vehicle that parked during the shooting. Their mission was to enter all the banks but they only succeeded in entering one. Those who went inside came out with wads of Naira notes which they put inside one of their vehicles.

“One of them, suspected to be the leader, was masked. Immediately he came out of the bank, he signalled his colleagues to leave the scene. By then, the Armoured Personnel Carrier stationed at Agbara was firing some shots. But they were not deterred by the presence of the APC as they fired sporadically at it, aiming at the tyres.

“Before leaving the scene, they blew up one of their operational vehicles. They used the fire from the vehicle as a shield to leave the place in their other car.  We saw two of them carrying two of their colleagues who were shot inside the car as they were leaving.

“But we noticed that by then, the number of gunmen was limited. They snatched a vehicle from a motorist who was taking his children to school at Ilase area of Agbara, in which they left the scene.

“But the ones I saw left the scene in the second vehicle which we heard was abandoned half way. They went through the water heading towards Totowu, while those hit by stray bullets were rushed to a private hospital at Agbara by policemen.”