A branch of a first generation bank Ibekwe Road, Ikot Abasi Urban, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, was attacked by bandits today.
Based on what was gathered, a police van that responded to a distress call from the bank, somersaulted on its way to the scene of the robbery, killing a police sergeant while other policemen sustained serious injuries.
The bandits stated to be about 18, stormed the bank around 11.45am and carted away an undisclosed sum of money.
Eyewitnesses stated the hoodlums, who were stated to have shot indiscriminately on arrival at the bank, wore military camouflage.
As stated by the eyewitnesses, the robbers had a field day during the operation that lasted for more than an hour.
An indigene of the area, who was at the bank, told a correspondent that the robbers were seen loading huge sums of money into a waiting vehicle parked outside the bank’s premises.
“I thank God to be alive. I was in the bank before the armed robbers arrived. They began to shoot sporadically into the air. I was lucky a bullet went right through my side and hit the wall,” he stated.
Based on what was gathered, during the operation, the robbers kidnapped an Indian expatriate working with the National Integrated Power Project, Mr. Zubayer, and two other members of staff of the bank.
Some operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Jubilee in Ikot Abasi, were stated to have engaged the bandits in a gun battle.
The robbers were stated to have escaped through the Okopedi waterways.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Cordelia Nwawe, confirmed the incident.
As stated by her, no arrest has been made but police operatives had been deployed in Ikot Abasi in order to find the robbers.
Mwawe added, “No arrest has been made. We lost a sergeant; he wasn’t shot. There was an accident with our police vehicle on the way to do the rescue operation.
“Three persons, who were kidnapped by the robbers, have been rescued by the police. One whiteman and two employees of the bank have been rescued by the police.
“We lost a police sergeant because our vehicle somersaulted.”