Edo: Dare-devil armed robbers kill 2 policemen, 4 others during raid on 2 banks in Igarra

AGENE GODWIN, Benin

AT least six persons including two policemen and a private security man were killed, Tuesday evening, when dare-devil armed robbers invaded two banks located in Igarra, headquarters of the Akoko-Edo local government area of Edo state.

As at the time of this report Tuesday, the entire Igarra community was on a mournful mood.

GP news learnt that the robbers were said to have stormed the town in two Toyota Sienna cars around 6 pm in commando style by first taking over the police station where they killed two policemen and then the others went straight to the bank where they were said to have destroyed the entrance to one of the banks using explosive devices.

During the daylight operation, the suspected robbers killed a private security man in one of the banks along with three others, one of who is said to a commercial motor cycle operator while the others were believed to bank customers said to be in the premises to use bank’s ATM.

There are two banks in Igarra; the Unity Bank and Keystone Bank both situated opposite each other along the Momomodu Ajayi Road in the community.

However, luck ran out on the robbers as vigilante groups quickly mobilised and barricaded their escape route along the Ekpedo-Ekpe road near the council’s border with Kogi State where one of them was reportedly killed and another apprehended, even as one of their vehicles was impounded.

“When they started the operation in Igarra, we quickly mobilised our people around the surrounding villages because they came through Lampese to Ososo and down to Igarra and we believed that they were also going back through the axis along Enwan and our men barricaded their escape route and there was exchange of gunfire. One of them was killed; another was arrested while many escaped with gunshot wounds. We also impounded one of the vehicles they used,” said a leader of the vigilante group.

Efforts to get police reaction to the incident was not successful as the police station in Igarra referred journalists to the Command headquarters in Benin City.

The lines of the new Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Stanley Osifo could not be reached while the receiver in a call to the Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike referred reporters to the office of the PPRO.

Also reacting, a community leader who spoke on condition of anonymity complained of the porous security situation in the community.

“All the entry points to Igarra from all flanks are open. We need more security in this place, we have been abandoned to our fate.” he said.