… Cart Away Huge Sums of Money
By John Ugo
It was a hellish encounter for residents,customers of commercial banks and staff as no fewer than five persons, among whom were some policemen, were on Thursday evening shot dead in a coordinated armed robbery attacks on some commercial banks in Uromi, headquarters of Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Sources in the town listed the banks affected by the activities of the suspected armed robbers to include: Zenith Bank, First Bank, Unity Bank and the United Bank for Africa, UBA.
The Edo State Police Command spokesman, Kontongs Bello, confirmed the robbery attacks but did not give details.
Besides, the suspected armed robbers carted away unspecified huge sums of money from the affected banks.
A resident of the sprawling community, the home town of the late Chairman of PPD Board of Trustees, BOT, Chief Tony Anenih, said that the attacks on the banks were too coordinated.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, described the attacks as “too coordinated in commando style as the armed robbers launched the attacks simultaneously. This is novel in this town.”
“The sporadic shots by the armed robbers caused panic in the town. The robbers came prepared. People are just running helter-skelter”, another source said.
Residents were said to be making contract with security agencies to come to the rescue of the banks and the residents.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the Edo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Kontongs Bello, confirmed the attacks, saying, ” that’s true sir”, and did not provide further details.
