10 killed as robbers raid banks in Delta

Ten persons, including the Divisional Police Officer for Abraka, Mr. Steve Chigbufue, were reportedly killed by suspected armed robbers in Delta State on Monday.

The development coincided with the killing of one person during a clash between factions of the Edo State Drivers’ Welfare Scheme as well as the quizzing of some senior bank officials following Friday’s failed bank robbery in Igarra, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state.

Chigbufue and four other policemen were said to be on their way to the police headquarters in Asaba when they ran into the suspects who were on a robbery operation at Igbodo in Ika North Local Government Area of the state.

Also killed was an Assistant Superintendent of Police, John Danladi, reputed to have foiled many robbery operations in the state.

In another robbery in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state, a gang of about eight were said to have stormed the Ibusa community and killed four policemen and one army officer.

Eyewitnesses said the eight heavily armed youths stormed the town in a red Toyota Camry and a bus.

They moved straight to raid two banks where an undisclosed sum of money was said to have been carted away by the hoodlums.

When the police got information about the robbery operation, they were said to have stormed the scene where a gun duel ensued.

The confrontation reportedly left five members of the gang dead while the others escaped through Ogwashi-Uku.

Danladi, one of the security officials who was killed in the raid, our correspondent learnt, was ordained a pastor on Saturday at the Tree of Life Church, Ogwashi-Uku.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Charles Muka, who confirmed the deaths, said during the gun battle a Ghana-Must-Go bag of ammunition were recovered from the fleeing hoodlums.

Meanwhile, a disagreement between factions of the transport workers during a protest march by the Edo State chapter of Action Congress of Nigeria over alleged plans by the Peoples Democratic Party to rig the July 14 state governorship election.

The conflict was said to have degenerated to a free-for-all resulting in the death of one Wilfred Omonigho, while several others sustained injuries.

Sources said the police decided to quiz the bank officials to know how information got to the suspected robbers that huge sums of money arrived the banks.