Blood shed in Ikere Ekiti

No fewer than four persons were killed yesterday evening as a group of gunmen attacked a first generation bank in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State. Sources said the robbers first launched an attack on a nearby police station, killing two policemen in the process, before attacking the bank. The sources added that the attack on the bank, after its closure to customers, left two customers at the ATM dead . The two victims, reports said, included a female corps member and an unidentified man. Sources doubted the success of the bandits’ operation in the bank as they hurriedly scampered for safety, shooting indiscriminately into various directions perhaps on getting a hint of the approach of a detachment of troops that arrived the scene shortly. They were said to have escaped through the Ikere- Akure Road. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Victor Babayemi, when contacted, could not give details of the incident, saying the command was still expecting report from the police team that went to the scene. Last year, the bank was attacked by gunmen who carted away undisclosed amount of money in an operation that threw the ancient city into pandemonium. In a related development, the Ondo State police command yesterday said it had arrested about seven people over last Thursday’s attack on a bullion van in Elemoso village, along Akure-Ondo expressway. The Police Public Relation Officer, Wole Ogodo, who disclosed this yesterday while speaking with our correspondent on telephone, said the suspects have been helping the command in its investigation. According to Ogodo, four of the suspects are policemen from the command while the drivers of the bullion van and the cash officer were not left out in the investigation. Ogodo said: “Four of our men that escorted the bullion, the cash officer and the two drivers of the escorted van are already with us to help in the ongoing investigation. “We will do everything possible to get to the root of the matter. Already, the OC SARS (Officer-incharge of the state Anti Robbery Squad) has gone to Bolorunduro where the incident happened as part of the ongoing investigation.” The PPRO, who noted that the arrested officers had been found wanting in the discharge of their duties, explained that the officers were on illegal duty by not formally booking their movement.