Seven killed as robbers invade banks, police station in Osun

No fewer than seven people including police officers were shot dead in Osun State on Wednesday evening as armed robbers attacked two banks and a police station.

Sources who witnessed the incident told PREMIUM TIMES that the operations were carried out at a First Bank in Ikire and Access Bank in Apomu around 6:00 p.m.

The robbers who also attacked Ikire Divisional Police headquarters killed four police officers and three residents.

“I know of two people who died in the incident. They were at the ATM points where they were hit by stray bullets,” a witness who pleaded anonymity because of fear of attack told our correspondent.

The police spokesperson, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident in an interview with online news platform’s correspondent on Thursday morning.

She said the armed robbers were about 35 and they came in five vehicles to carry out the operations.

“They attacked Ikire Divisional Police HQ and the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) pinned down at Ikoyi-Osun with several explosive devices and several gun firing in a bid to subdue the capacity of the Police while attempting to Rob First Bank Ikire and Access Bank Apomu respectively.

“It is unfortunate that ASP Osho Oluranti, Inspector Lekan Olalere, Two (2) Special Constabularies; namely Oladeni Olalekan, and Oyedeji Muyideen were shot dead in the process.

“On sighting the overwhelming Policemen Comprising: Prompt response Response Unit (PRU), CP’s Surveillance team, IRT Operatives, STS, 39 PMF, JTF, along with the local Security outfits, who swiftly engaged them in a fierce gun duel, the Robbers began to flee.

“While escaping, they shot sporadically, and regrettably three (3) Civilians were shot namely; Toheeb Oyebola, Temilorun Adebiyi and one other, (whose identity is not yet known), all male.”

Opalola said the robbers, however, did not succeed in robbing any of the banks as “they fled to the bush with gunshot wounds, abandoning two of the operational vehicles they came with.”

Nigeria is currently going through one of its roughest patches yet with mounting insecurity, bloodletting and violence in most parts of the nation.