Nine persons, made up of eight Policemen and one civilian, were feared killed on Thursday in Isanlu, Kogi State when a gang of armed robbers launched an attack on a first generation bank in the town.
The News Agency of Nigeria gathered that among those killed were the Divisional Police Officer in the town, two policewomen and five policemen.
NAN sources indicated that while the DPO, the two policewomen and four policemen were killed at the Police Station, one policeman was killed at the bank’s premises.
The other victim, a male civilian, died when a stray bullet hit him.
The armed robbers were said to have invaded the Police Station at about 1pm and opened fire on all officers and men on duty.
The source told NAN that the Police Station was completely destroyed by the armed robbers who also set free all detainees in the detention facility.
The robbers later proceeded to the bank where they killed one of the Policemen on duty and carted away money.
An eyewitness, Segun Thomas, told NAN that the robbery operation lasted almost one hour.
Thomas said: “The robbers came in two vehicles – a bus and a car – with which they also escaped from the town.”
NAN learnt that the car, believed to have been snatched from its owner, was later abandoned around Kizito College, Isanlu.
William Aya, spokesman of Kogi State Police Command, confirmed the robbery incident and the invasion of the Police Station, but added that the casualty figure was “still hazy”.
Aya told NAN: “The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ede Ayuba, has dispatched the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operation to Isanlu to ascertain the true situation.”
Aya promised to brief the press “as soon as details are available”.
Source NAN
