Eyewitness said the pick-up was being escorted by
another van when hoodlums in a Sports Utility
Vehicle opened fire on them, causing the occupants
of the vehicles to run out.
It was learnt that the robbers, who shot sporadically,
also killed a pregnant woman while other motorists
and bystanders were hit by stray bullets
The robbers allegedly killed Agboricaen and injured
other policemen but the police also shot one of the
robbers before fleeing.
The robbers were said to have conveyed huge sums
of money from the pick-up into their own vehicle
before speeding off
An eyewitness, who craved anonymity, said the
death toll could be as high as five because many
people were shot.
He said, "Around 3pm on Tuesday, some thugs,
wielding sophisticated weapons, opened fire on two
trucks, one of which was carrying a huge sum of
money. The robbers shot sporadically, hitting many
bystanders at Mowo Bus Stop.
"Policemen, who were in one of the vehicles, came
out and engaged them in a gun duel but the robbers
overpowered them, killing one and injuring another.
The robbers conveyed bundles of cash into their
vehicle before fleeing.
"One of the robbers was shot but he managed to
escape. In all, I can say about five people were killed
because many people were shot, including some
motorists, who parked to buy corn at the bus stop."
The Commissioner of Police for the state command,
Mr. Umar Manko, said efforts were being made to
arrest the hoodlums.
Manko, who said the armed robbers might have
acted on a tip-off, added that they succeeded
because the vehicle used in transporting the money
was not bullet proof.
He said, "We are on the trail of the hoodlums. The
vehicle used by the bank was not a bullion van but a
rickety pick-up truck. I use this opportunity to send a
message to banks that if they want to transport
money, they should do it properly. If you want to
transport money, get a bullet-proof van and not an
ordinary vehicle.
"From the look of things, it was an insider's job but I
don't want to pre-empt investigations."
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said
only the policeman was reported dead but she added
that investigations were ongoing.
Meanwhile, the command has arrested a 20-year-old
barber, Ladun Agemo; a 27-year-old baker, Mr.
Taofeek Bukola; and Wale Adeniyi for alleged armed
robbery.
The police also recovered five AK-47 rifles and rounds
of live ammunition from the suspects, who allegedly
belong to an eight-man gang.
While parading the suspects, Manko said the
suspects were trailed to Ogun State where they were
planning to come and carry out an operation in
Lagos.
Manko said their modus operandi was to rob in Lagos
and return to Ogun after an operation.
The suspects said they only played minor roles in the
robbery but expressed their willingness to cooperate
with the police in apprehending the fleeing
members.
One of them, Bukola, said, "I am not an active
member of the gang. I own the Mazda and I only
drive the robbers to where they rob and I help them
escape. Akin is our leader but he is still on the run. I
am actually a baker by vocation but the robbers
usually pay me between N60,000 and N100,000 per
operation which is more profitable."
Agemo, the barber, said his role was to keep the
guns for the robbers.
"I have a wife and a son who depend on me for
survival and the N1,000 I was making daily from
barbing was too little," he said.
Adeniyi, one of the suspects, who sustained bullet
wounds, told PUNCH Metro that if the police could
drop charges against him, he would become a police
informant.
He said, "I am a smuggler but I have followed the
gang to three robbery operations. If the police could
release me, I would become an informant, helping to
make arrests. Already, I have given them the names
of the robbers at large. They are: Koledowo, Wale,
Dada, Mutairu."
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