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A two-man gang of armed robbers that operated on a motorcycle last Friday shot a middle-aged man dead at Mokola area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The incident occurred about 5p.m at Adelaja Junction, Mokola Ibadan.
The victim, whose identity was yet to be ascertained, was said to be returning from a pool centre when he was shot dead.
Sunday Sun gathered that the armed robbers shot the man dead in an attempt to evade arrest by the policemen that gave them a hot chase.
The robbers had reportedly trailed their victim to a commercial bank at Mokola area and successfully dispossessed him of a “Ghana must go” bag containing huge amount of money.
An eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, said: “It was like a drama to us. I was at a place behind Group Medical Hospital near Mokola roundabout when I suddenly heard sporadic gunshots. All I did was that I took cover. “Later, I was told that a person came out of a bank at Mokola after collecting money. The armed robbers, who had been waiting for him, went after him and collected the money from him. In the process, the police sighted them and pursued the robbers with their white Hilux van as they tried to escape on their motorcycle. The police shot sporadically into the air as the robbers too were shooting.”
But another version of the story stated that the armed robbers actually robbed an operator of a Bureau De Change at Sabo area of Mokola. The robbers purportedly engaged in a gun duel with the police in attempt to escape on a motorcycle.
Mr. Kabiru Adeoye, who witnessed the incident, said the armed robbers were on a motorcycle when the police pursued them with a white Hilux van. When contacted, the police spokesperson in Oyo State, Mr. Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the incident, saying the motorcycle and a cut-to-size pistol, which the robbers used for the operation, had been recovered.
“But he was in cold blood when I got to the spot of the incident. The police recovered some huge amount of money. It is unfortunate to see this kind of a thing in this kind of time,” he said.
When contacted, the police spokesperson in Oyo State, Mr. Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the incident, saying the motorcycle and a cut-to-size pistol, which the robbers used for the operation, had been recovered.
He said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Abiodun Odude, has directed the Special Anti-Robbery Squad to begin investigation into the incident.
SATURDAY SUN