Four policemen and three civilians were killed during attacks on two banks in Apomu and Ikire in Osun State on Wednesday evening, The Nation has learnt.
The Nation gathered the robbers, numbering about 35, attacked the banks simultaneously at Ikire in Irewole local government Area and Apomu in Isokan local government – both off the Ibadan-Ile-Ife Expressway, Osun State around 6:10pm.
It was learnt they came into the communities through Ibadan axis and divided themselves into two groups to attack the banks.
The robbers killed policemen and residents during the attacks but men of Odua People Congress(OPC) and others resisted them.
It was gathered an Assistant Superintendent of Police, police Inspector and Special Constabularies were killed.
A statement by Osun Police spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola, explained: “The robbers numbering about 35 came in about 5 vehicles, simultaneously attacked Ikire Divisional Police HQ and the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) pinned down at Ikoyi-Osun with several explosive devices and several gun firing in a bid to subdue the capacity of the Police while attempting to rob the banks respectively.
“It is unfortunate that ASP Osho Oluranti, Inspector Lekan Olalere, Two Special Constabularies; namely Oladeni Olalekan, and Oyedeji Muyideen were shot dead in the process.
“In sighting Policemen Comprising: Prompt response Response Unit (PRU), CP’s Surveillance team, IRT Operatives, STS, 39 PMF, JTF, along with the local Security outfits,who swiftly engaged them in a fierce gun duel, the robbers began to flee. While escaping, they shot sporadically, and regrettably 3 civilians were shot namely; Toheeb Oyebola, Temilorun Adebiyi and one other, whose identity is not yet known.
“They did not succeed robbing any of the Banks.
“The assailants fled to the bush with gun shot wounds, abandoning two of the operational vehicles they came with.
“All the corpses deposited at Oluyoro Catholic Hospital morgue, Apomu.
Efforts ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
Chairman of Police Community Relation Committee, Ikire, Chief Adegbite Adedokun, while featuring on a private radio station, Rave FM, on Thursday morning disclosed the robbers rained bullets on palace of Akire of Ikire before attacking the bank which is very close to the palace.
“They invaded our community and attacked policemen during the process, they rained bullets on the palace of Akire which is not far from the bank.
” It was unfortunate they killed people and residents of our community,” he stressed.
