Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Babatunde Kokumo, on Friday evening gave details of how its personnel foiled Thursday’s bank robbery in Igarra, headquarters of Akoko-Edo local government area.
Kokumo said the attack led to the death of two civilians, one police inspector and three of the armed robbers.
Speaking to journalists in Benin City, Kokumo stated that it was the resistance and courageous fight put up by his men that stopped the robbers.
He gave the name of one of the victims as Ojo Ukana who was arrested over a domestic issue between him and the wife while the other was held for invalid vehicle particulars.
The police CP said debunked reports that two banks were attacked adding that one of the robbers was nabbed.
He said the robbers attacked Keystone bank but they met stiff opposition from policemen who were on guard duty both at the Unity Bank and Keystone bank.
According to him, “In the gun duel that ensued between the criminals and the policemen, three of the criminals were gunned down. The operational weapons of the gang recovered.”
“What this gang of criminals did was to divide themselves into two halves; one half had gone to the police station ostensibly to prevent the police from responding to possible distress calls from the banks the attack would have been rest on the back.”
“The first half that actually went to the police station was there, it was the second half that went to the Keystone bank where they attacked the bank and entered into the banking hall forcefully.”
Residents of Igarra town however insisted that the claim of six victims was untrue as many victims were rushed to the hospital before the Commissioner arrived the scene.