SEVEN people yesterday allegedly met their untimely death in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, as armed robbers attacked a bullion van at Idi-Ape area of the state.
According to an unconfirmed source in a live video of the incident after the robbers left the scene of accident showed two dead bodies of policemen and a woman. Another man was confirmed dead in his car as sympathizers removed his child from the car to take it to the police station.
The video further revealed that the policemen, four in number at the back of the bullion van were all killed while the driver sustained serious bullet injury.
The incident, which occurred around 1pm was concluded within 15 minutes, also had a man shot at his side in the pool of his own blood in his car.
It was gathered that the newly installed traffic light in Idi-Ape had stopped the bullion van when the robbers attacked. They crossed the van with their Hilux and Siena van.
However, the press release issued by the Police Public Relation Officer SP. Adewale Osifeso, at State Police Head Quarters, Eleyele, said further to the media chat at the scene of crime yesterday at about 1345hrs, a group of masked armed robbers about ten (10) in numbers trailed, targeted and attacked a bullion van around traffic light area, Idi-Ape junction Agodi, Ibadan.
According to Osifeso, the Armed Robbers engaged the Police Officers escorting the bullion van and in the process, an undisclosed amount of money was carted away.
In swift response, he said the Police equally neutralized one of the armed robbers while some were believed to have escaped with multiple gunshot injuries.
Consequently, he said a civilian onlooker was hit by stray bullet and died at the scene while two Police officers later died in the hospital as a result of gunshot injuries sustained. Four others including two Police officers are responding to treatment.
Assuring the citizenry, he enjoined them not to panic as efforts are in top gear to track down and apprehend the criminal gang, adding that the Oyo State Police Command seeks the cooperation of the good people of the State in providing necessary information to help maintain the relative peace and tranquility being enjoyed in the State. As always, if you see something, say something.
You can see the amotekun, the police men, everyone is here working hand in hand so that we can get the people involved and get the root of what has happened today”
The Commission of Police, Oyo State Command, Ngozi Onadeko, had earlier told reporters that she drove straight from the airport to the scene of the attack, adding that she was coming from a retreat.
She said: “I will give more information on this when we finally get the details of what actually happened”
“One of the police men on escort with the bullion van was shot dead and one of the robbers but the robbery gang carried the robber that was shot with them”
“First of all I have to say it’s an unfortunate incident, we just finished the retreat and I am coming from the airport directly here”
“It was a coordinated attack but we are still trying to find out what actually happened because they trailed the bullion van from where it took the money from and where it wants to dispense it, we could see the shots they made, they were indeed prepared”
“We can’t actually say what went wrong now, but l can tell you that all the exit routes an inlets to Oyo State have all been blocked so we are trying our possible best to get them to know what actually happened”
“Nobody was killed as of now, and in fact I can’t really say anything now because I am still trying to assess the situation and to find out what actually happened but I can tell you that two of my men were shot on leg, let’s just do our investigation and then we will be able to give you more details.”
