Home News Robbers Raid Zenith Bank, UBA, Access, Others, Kill DPO and Nine Others

Robbers Raid Zenith Bank, UBA, Access, Others, Kill DPO and Nine Others

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By Chisaa Okoye (Business Reporter)
No fewer than 10 persons, among them, four police officers attached to the Otukpo Police Division, Benue State, were shot dead by dare-devil armed robbers that raided five commercial banks, located near the Otukpo Divisional Police Headquarters, Benue State on Friday (yesterday).
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Otukpo Police Station, was among the casualties, who included some customers of the affected banks.
The five banks raided were United Bank for Africa (UBA), Access Bank, Zenith Bank, Stanbic IBTC bank and First Bank of Nigeria Limited.
 
ARMADANEWS gathered that the robbers armed with sophisticated weapons held the staff of the banks hostage during the operations that lasted for about two hours and carted away huge amounts of money.
 
Sources said the robbers who operated in their numbers, after the successful operations, were intercepted by the police along Otukpo-Taraku road and in the ensuing gun duel, the policemen lost their lives, while two of the robbers were killed.
Others, including some customers of the banks, who sustained injuries are said be receiving treatments at undisclosed hospital.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Benue State Police Command confirmed the death of the DPO and the three other officers in the banks raids.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer,
Catherine Anene, explained that security operatives intercepted the robbers along Otukpo-Taraku road and killed two of them.

The statement read in part, “On 20/10/2023 at about 1615hrs, armed robbers invaded Access Bank, FirstBank, Zenith, UBA and Stanbic bank Otukpo simultaneously.

“The Otukpo Divisional Police Officer, CSP. John Adikwu and other Police teams in the area engage them in a gun dwell but were unable to prevent their attack on the banks.

“More police teams in collaboration with other security agents were deployed to Otukpo to assist in stabilizing the area and prevent these robbers from escaping.

“The robbers who were intercepted along Otukpo-Taraku road engaged officers in a gun duel and two of the robbers died in the proces

“Other gang members abandoned their vehicles and escaped into the forest area and are being chased by the police.

“The DPO who sustained a gunshot injury on his stomach and three other police officers have been confirmed dead at the hospital.

“Other persons who sustained injuries in the bank have been moved to the hospital for treatment. Investigation is ongoing at the moment”

Meanwhile, police authorities in the state, were said to have ordered a man-hunt for the fleeing robbers with a view to bringing them to book.

 

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