Five people were allegedly killed as dare devil armed robbers in a coordinated attack on Tuesday simultaneously invaded three banks in Ankpa in the Eastern senatorial district of Kogi state and carted away millions of naira while several people were said to be injured.
Among the casualties were said to be two ladies with one identified as Ummi and three men who were said to be bank customers. The corpses were said to have been deposited at Grace hospital, Ankpa
According to an eye witness account , the robbers were said to have invaded the community at about 2: 00 pm and began to shoot sporadically to enable them gain access to the banks vaults where they allegedly carted away millions of naira.
The incident was said to have caused serious pandemonium in the area and it’s environs as shops were hurriedly closed while people scampered to safety.
Although, the police refused to confirm any casualty figures in the incident, the police public relations officer Willy Aya confirmed the incident in a press statement.
The statement reads: “Consequent upon the robbery attack on UBA, First bank and Zennith bank Ankpa simultaneously, the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command CP Edward Egbuka, immediately led a team of tactical operatives to the scenes for on-the-spot assessment.
“He has equally ordered the deployment of additional operational assets consisting of operatives of the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit, Quick Response Unit, State Intelligence Bureau in synergy with other security agencies to restore normalcy in the area.
“Meanwhile, the Police personnel on duty both at the station and the banks quickly recovered from the sudden attack and gallantly repelled the attackers who were forced to flee: some into nearby bushes, others with their vehicles. The hoodlums abandoned three vehicles used for the operation in their haste to escape, some of them with bullet wounds.
” The CP use this medium to call on the people of Ankpa and its adjoining communities to be on the lookout and report any body seen with bullet wounds to the Police or any other security Forces nearest to them.
” The CP assures that the Command is committed to working in synergy with other security agencies as well as patriotic stakeholders in the ongoing onslaught against crimes and criminality to make the State a safe and secure place for all and sundry.
” He further tasked the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Investigation Department (SCID) to commence investigations so as to unravel the remote and immediate cause of the act, trail the hoodlums with a view to apprehend and bring them to book.
” He urges members of the public to go about their lawful businesses as they continue to collaborate with the Police and other security agencies with credible and timely information on the activities of criminal elements in their environs” the statement added.
Source: The Sun
