Gunfire In Abuja As Armed Robbers Steal N4.3m From Bank Customer

Pandemonium broke out in the early hours of Monday in Kubwa, a satellite town in Abuja, as residents woke up to the sound of sporadic shooting by daredevil armed robbers who robbed an Access Bank customer of N4.3million in front of the bank.

acc

The robbery took place at about 10 o’clock at the bank branch at Phase 4, when the robbers, arriving in commando-style, blocked the car of the customer, who had come to deposit money.

Jubril Mohammed, an eyewitness, told SaharaReporters that the victim was a staff of Total Filling Station who came to deposit the money in the bank.

“I was standing right here when I saw a car in high speed and stopped right in front of the bank and four men came out with guns and they started shooting at a car.  One of them opened the trunk of the car and removed a bag filled with money”.

It was gathered that the robbers, who brandished sophisticated weapons, had followed their victim from the petrol station when they somehow learned he would be taking some cash to the bank.

They carted away the sum of N4.3 million, leaving the victim’s vehicle perforated with bullets, but he received no injuries.  SaharaReporters however gathered that a member of staff of Etisalat, who operates a mobile shop in front of the bank, received a gunshot wound during the melee and was rushed to the hospital.

A policeman who attached to the bank also exchanged fire with the robbers as residents scampered for safety.  Other policemen arrived at the scene of the incident after the assailants had fled.

Cartridges of ammunition used by the robbers were taken away alongside the victim’s disabled vehicle.

Business activities at the bank were put on hold as customers were turned back.  Effort to get a comment from the bank manager proved abortive as the security guard said that the bank had been closed for operation and he could not allow anybody access into the premises.

When journalists visited Area Commander R.O Kalu at the Phase 4 Divisional Police Station to ascertain if there have been any arrests in connection with the robbery, he declined comment, directing them to the FCT Commissioner of Police.

Source: SaharaReporters