Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers invaded a fuel station on Saturday night, killed the manager and carted away unspecified amount of money in Kaduna, North-west Nigeria.

Eyewitnesses said, the incident occurred around 6:45 p.m. when three armed men in an ash colour Golf car filled their tank in Ruma fuel station, opposite Ungwan Muazu, along Nnamdi Azikwe Way, Kaduna.

They ordered the female fuel attendant to hand over the day’s sales.

The robbers are suspected to be the same gang who killed a Health College lecturer recently in the area.

An eyewitness told News Express: “Three of them came into the fuel station in an ash colour Golf car and ordered the attendant to hand over her sales after she had filled their tank. She didn’t argue with them; she complied. In fact, they looked like the same gang who attacked a lecturer in Kinkinau GRA.

“They now moved to where the manager was sitting and demanded him to surrender the station’s money to them.

“They shot him pointblank in the head when he told them he did not have any money with him. They also shot sporadically at other people around who tried to raise alarm and missed them narrowly.

“People continued to pelt stones at them as they raced out of the station, made a U-turn and drove towards Abuja junction.”

The Village Head of Kinkinau GRA, Alh Sulaiman Dan’amarya, while confirming the incident, said the District Head of Ungwan Muazu and Cika Soron Zazzau, Alh Ahmed Aliyu Idris, other council chiefs and sympathisers took the shot station manager to 44 Military Hospital where he later died around 10pm.

While commending security agents for their quick response, Cika Soron Zazzau described the frequent attack in the area as unfortunate and alarming.

He called on the residents to continue to remain vigilant and pray to Allah to bring to an end such criminal activities.

“Our prayers will not be in vain, people should be patient, God in his infinite mercy will intervene inshaa-Allah,” he said.

•Photo shows Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Yero,