KASIE ABONE

They were said to be on their way back to Allen Avenue, Ikeja branch of the bank when they met their untimely death. The policemen whose names could not be ascertained as at press time were attached to Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Centre police station, Ikeja.

According to reliable police sources, the robbers, who operated with a Mercedez Benz jeep were said to have trailed the bullion van and escort vehicle from Jakande estate near Isolo. The bandits eventually overtook the convoy of the van after descending Oke-Afa bridge, a boundary between Isolo and Ejigbo, blocked them with the jeep, and shot dead the policemen before carting away the safe containing the money.

Meanwhile, an eye witness, who pleaded anonymity, told Daily Champion that the owner of the jeep was earlier shot dead before the robbers snatched his vehicle.

A curious angle to the robbery, a police source told Daily Champion, was that the three policemen in the escort van led by a police sergeant could not give account of how the robbers made away with the safe containing the money.

Having succeeded unchallenged, the robbers were said to have shot their way through Okota Road to safety. They were also said to have thrown canisters of tear gas at passers-by who scampered for safety on hearing the gunshots from the rampaging robbers.

On reaching Isolo Divisional Police Headquarters, the robbers were said have shot into the station apparently to dare them.

The incident was said to have caused temporary traffic jam in the area as some motorists abandoned their vehicles on roads. Eye witness account said pedestrians were seen raising their hands as they were searched by policemen.

However, when Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mr. Olubode Ojajuni was contacted on phone for confirmation, he said he was yet to be briefed on the incident by the Divisional Police Officer of Isolo Divisional Police Headquarters. Meanwhile, police have accused the affected bank of nonchalance in taking the deceased cops to the mortuary. A policeman at Isolo who spoke under anonymity informed Daily Champion that the body of the late officers were left lying in the sun for about five hours due to non-release of money by the bank to pay for mortuary expenses. But the corporate affairs manager of the bank debunked the allegation, saying the deceased were immediately taken to the mortuary after the bank received information of the incident.