One Robber disarm Policemen in Ekiti,

A 30-man armed robbery gang yesterday invaded a first generation bank in Ifaki Ekiti in Ekiti State and reportedly carted away large, but undisclosed amount of money. It was gathered that before the bank robbery operation, the armed robbers also attacked a nearby police station, where they were able to dislodge the policemen around and prevented the law enforcement agents from launching a counter attack and foil their operation. A source said the armed robbers, who riddled the bank with bullets and left a bank official injured. But the spokesman for the police in the state, Mr. Victor Babayemi, who confirmed the incident, said the police prevented the robbers from taking away money in the operation. Babayemi, who said the injured bank worker had been taken to an undisclosed hospital, said the robbers came into town by motorcycles and shot into the air in a manner that created panic, and in the process left the bank official injured. The incident disrupted commercial activities for several hours, as traders and others scampered for safety. The police spokesman said his men had repelled the robbers’ attempt to overrun the station and stopped them from carting away money in the bank contrary to rumours making the rounds. Said he, “The Commissioner of Police, Mr Taiwo Lakanu quickly drafted his men to the town, who engaged the robbers in gun duel and botched the operation.”