About four persons reportedly lost their lives, yesterday, when a gang of robbers stormed a bank on Wetheral Road in Owerri, Imo State capital.

It was gathered that the robbers reportedly trailed a customer to the bank, but policemen suspected the movements of one of them, when he entered the premises.

A source said one of the policemen reportedly shot the robber “and the injured robber was said to have returned fire, equally injuring the policeman.


“The robber was, however, shot in the head by another policeman.” Confirming the incident in a telephone chat, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, said: “The operation is ongoing now (at 3p.m.). I am not at the scene of the operation, but I can confirm that police has gunned down some of the hoodlums.

The robbers, who were about 12 in number, had trailed the man who wanted to deposit large sums of money. They came in three cars, but it was one of the cars that followed him into the bank premises. As soon as he came out of his car, the robbers shot him dead and took the money.

“They also shot dead three of the security guards and one bank customer. But one of the policemen guarding the bank killed one of the robbers.”


Confirming the incident, spokesman of the Imo State Police Command, DSP Andrew Enwerem, said the police were currently on the trail of the suspects.