Armed robbers on Friday night sacked the police station in Igarra, Akoko-Edo local government area of Edo state where they invaded the station’s armoury and went away with three guns which they later used in an attempt to rob a new generation bank in the area.
LEADERSHIP SUNDAY? gathered that the suspected robbers in their numbers stormed the police station in three vehicles? a few minutes before midnight, threw a dynamite into the premises to disperse the men on duty and later lined themselves along the Momodu Ajayi Road about one kilometre from the police station and shot intermittently to forestall any form of resistance.
But luck ran out on the robbers? as one of them was said to have sustained gunshot wounds from the securityman attached to the bank.
The attempt to apprehend them was said to have been thwarted by the fleeing robbers who shot at members of the vigilance group and youths in the community. Two of them, Kehinde Julius and Eshovo Ukonga sustained gunshot wounds from the robbers.
“The robbers came, threw dynamite into the police station and took their guns from the armory. Some of them proceeded to the bank and others stationed themselves along the road and were shooting simultaneously but they could not gain access into the bank and one of them was shot.
“The others escaped by snatching a truck from a driver whom they later dropped off along the way. But the one with gunshots and one of the gang members escaped into the caves in the Igarra hills.
Their blood stains were used to trail them into the caves and in the process, his accomplice shot two of our boys. But they are still believed to be hiding in the caves while the others have escaped”.
The state police commissioner, Olayinka Balogun, while confirming the attempted robbery, however, said the robbers did not gain entry into the armoury. “Yes they invaded the police station but they met resistance. Their plan was to attack the two banks situated opposite each other but they were also resisted there.
“We recovered three AK 47 rifles, a locally made explosive and two vehicles; a Toyota Sienna and Camry. We suspect that two of them are hiding in one of the caves. We are firing teargas into the cave to smoke them out”, he said.