ARMED robbers, again Monday, ambushed officials of a leading African bank and seven police escorts, along the Benin-Asaba Expressway, in broad daylight, in Delta State, carting N25 million in their bullion van into their cars.
One of the police officers, supposed to be on duty in another bank at the time of the incident, was gravely injured and rushed to the hospital in what police authorities in the state suspect to be an insider’s arrangement.
Commissioner of Police, Delta Command, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, who confirmed the incident Monday, said the Operations Manager of the bank suspected to have arranged the illegality has been arrested and investigation was on. He disclosed that the policemen were on illegal duty and were yet to be seen hours after the attack.
Ibrahim said: “A UBA van from branch 1, Lion House, Asaba, left for Agbor branch, to pick N25 million, the bank officials, who tried to cut corners illegally, picked seven policemen from different locations yet to be determined because the bank lacks a serviceable armoured bullion van as required by law.”
“On their way back, between Ubulu-Okiti and Otulu, along Asaba-Benin expressway, at about 14.00 hours, the team was ambushed by some armed robbers, who operated in Honda Pilot Jeep and Toyota Corolla , registration number unknown and emptied the N25 million into their cars and escaped.
“One of the policemen identified as Sergeant Sebastin Okeibunor (F/NO. 441162), whose posting read Fidelity Bank, was fatally injured and rushed to hospital,” he stated.