A four-man armed robbery gang on Friday unleashed terror in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, shooting sporadically as they snatched several millions of naira from an unsuspecting victim.

The incident occurred along Muritala Muhammed Way, directly opposite the Vanguard Newspaper office.

Eyewitnesses said the masked gunmen arrived in an ash-coloured Toyota Corolla with a faded number plate. One witness, who declined to be named, said the robbers appeared to have trailed their victim before attacking.

According to him, the gang opened fire on the victim’s grey Toyota Sienna, marked AA 693 GT, deflating its two left tyres and forcing the driver to stop.

Three masked assailants then emerged from the Corolla, while a fourth remained behind the wheel, ready for a quick getaway, he said.

The robbers reportedly fired several shots into the air to scare bystanders, sending residents and passers-by running for safety. Stray bullets hit the Sienna driver on the arm and pierced both the front and rear windshields as well as the vehicle body.

“They packed the cartons full of money from the Toyota Sienna into their Corolla before speeding off,” an eyewitness said.

Another witness lamented the absence of security personnel during and after the attack, saying no police officers were seen at the scene throughout the ordeal.

The Guardian also gathered that Elder Stephen Oni, the Kwara State correspondent of The New Telegraph, sustained injuries while trying to escape from the gunfire.

When contacted for comments, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, did not respond to calls.

Meanwhile, the Katsina State Police Command last week arrested 22 suspected armed robbers during various operations in November this year.

The spokesperson for the command, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, made this known while outlining some of the command’s achievements to newsmen on Wednesday.

The command said it had received reports of 123 criminal cases, with 108 cases charged in court and 15 currently under investigation.

It said seven suspects were arrested for their involvement in culpable homicide and or murder cases during period under review.

It said four suspects were arrested for having counterfeit currencies, while 20 others were caught for rape and or committing unnatural offences.

It said 10 other suspects were nabbed for having illicit drugs, and that several exhibits were recovered, including three AK-47 rifles, 24 rounds of live ammunition, and 183 rounds of live ammunition.

Other exhibits recovered are four motor vehicles that include one Toyota Corolla, two golf vehicles, and one Peugeot; 32 suspected rustled animals comprising 23 cows, nine sheep, 131 illicit drugs consisting of 212,100 pieces of Exol tablets, 3,720 tramadol tablets, 67 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis, 50 meters of vandalised high tension cables, among others.

The command pledged to redouble efforts and to build on successes recorded to make the state a safer place for all, with a call on stakeholders to join the fight against crime. (The Guardian)

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