Rampaging armed robbers, who stormed the university town of Nsukka yesterday, killed two policemen and hijacked a bullion van conveying huge sums of money from Enugu to Nsukka branch of a commercial bank. They were, however, intercepted by the police three hours later.
Nigeria newspapers gathered that the slain cops are an inspector, who hails from Enugu-Ezike, in Enugu State and a constable, who was yet to be identified as at the time of filing this report. Stray bullets also hit another policeman and three others, including two occupants of a Hilux van belonging to Julius Berger Nigeria Limited.
The attack on the bullion van reportedly occurred at Fen-park junction of the Enugu road, in Nsukka town at about 10.45 am yesterday.
The robbers, who were about 10 in number, were said to have trailed the bullion van and the police escort vehicle from Opi-Nsukka road up to the Fen-park junction, where they double-crossed the escort vehicle and engaged the policemen in a shoot-out.
An eyewitness said that the policemen were immediately overpowered, as two of them were shot dead, leaving another with severe bullet wounds, as the robbers ordered the bullion van driver to drive ahead of their Toyota Sienna space wagon towards the Queen’s College, Nsukka.
The hoodlums fired at different directions, in the process, during which three persons sustained bullet wounds. The victims were taken to Bishop Shanahan Hospital for treatment.
Among the slain officers is Mr. Edwin Adonu, a station officer (SO) of the Nsukka police station who came back recently from a promotion course.
An eyewitness said: “The armed robbers succeeded in taking the bullion van and its driver away, but on getting to a place near Queen’s College, they brought out a gas cylinder and welding machine with which they ripped open the roof of the van and transferred the bags containing the money into the Sienna and drove away.
“But few meters from the area, they snatched a V-Boot Mercedes Benz car in which they conveyed the money and headed towards Ehamufu, in Isiuzo Local Government Area.”
The PPRO, Mr. Amaraizu, who confirmed the incident yesterday, said that several police patrol teams were immediately dispatched to Nsukka to ensure a crackdown on the fleeing robbery gang.
He disclosed that the command made a breakthrough at about 3.50 pm, when the patrol teams encountered the hoodlums along Ehamufu-Nkalagu road as they attempted to escape into Ebonyi State.
“The combined army-police patrol teams pursued them from Nsukka through Ehalumona, Umunko, Ehamufu road in Isiuzo Local Government and encountered them along Ehamufu-Nkalagu road. A general purpose machine gun (GPMG) and the stolen money were recovered, but the actual amount has not been ascertained for now,” Amaraizu said.
He said that while fleeing from Nsukka, the armed robbers changed vehicles three times, from their Sienna to ENTRACO mass transit bus, which they later dropped and snatched a Peace Mass Transit bus and finally dumped it for a Mercedes V- Boot in which they were apprehended.
Nigeria newspapers gathered that the slain cops are an inspector, who hails from Enugu-Ezike, in Enugu State and a constable, who was yet to be identified as at the time of filing this report. Stray bullets also hit another policeman and three others, including two occupants of a Hilux van belonging to Julius Berger Nigeria Limited.
The attack on the bullion van reportedly occurred at Fen-park junction of the Enugu road, in Nsukka town at about 10.45 am yesterday.
The robbers, who were about 10 in number, were said to have trailed the bullion van and the police escort vehicle from Opi-Nsukka road up to the Fen-park junction, where they double-crossed the escort vehicle and engaged the policemen in a shoot-out.
An eyewitness said that the policemen were immediately overpowered, as two of them were shot dead, leaving another with severe bullet wounds, as the robbers ordered the bullion van driver to drive ahead of their Toyota Sienna space wagon towards the Queen’s College, Nsukka.
The hoodlums fired at different directions, in the process, during which three persons sustained bullet wounds. The victims were taken to Bishop Shanahan Hospital for treatment.
Among the slain officers is Mr. Edwin Adonu, a station officer (SO) of the Nsukka police station who came back recently from a promotion course.
An eyewitness said: “The armed robbers succeeded in taking the bullion van and its driver away, but on getting to a place near Queen’s College, they brought out a gas cylinder and welding machine with which they ripped open the roof of the van and transferred the bags containing the money into the Sienna and drove away.
“But few meters from the area, they snatched a V-Boot Mercedes Benz car in which they conveyed the money and headed towards Ehamufu, in Isiuzo Local Government Area.”
The PPRO, Mr. Amaraizu, who confirmed the incident yesterday, said that several police patrol teams were immediately dispatched to Nsukka to ensure a crackdown on the fleeing robbery gang.
He disclosed that the command made a breakthrough at about 3.50 pm, when the patrol teams encountered the hoodlums along Ehamufu-Nkalagu road as they attempted to escape into Ebonyi State.
“The combined army-police patrol teams pursued them from Nsukka through Ehalumona, Umunko, Ehamufu road in Isiuzo Local Government and encountered them along Ehamufu-Nkalagu road. A general purpose machine gun (GPMG) and the stolen money were recovered, but the actual amount has not been ascertained for now,” Amaraizu said.
He said that while fleeing from Nsukka, the armed robbers changed vehicles three times, from their Sienna to ENTRACO mass transit bus, which they later dropped and snatched a Peace Mass Transit bus and finally dumped it for a Mercedes V- Boot in which they were apprehended.
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