Iree robbery: Police reveal how gunmen stormed Access Bank in commando-style, killed one, injured others

The Osun Command of the Nigerian Police has confirmed that there was a bank robbery in Iree on Thursday, August 5.

The command revealed that the Police in a joint patrol with local security outfits have been combing the bushes in a bid to arrest the robbers.

The spokesperson of the command, Yemisi Opalola, in a press release disclosed that the armed robbers numbering about twenty at about 3:40pm Thursday, stormed the town in commando-style with about 4 vehicles and simultaneously attacked Iree Divisional Police Headquarters with explosives and gun firing in an attempt to disorganise, incapacitate and destabilise the police who were in a fierce gun battle with them while robbing two commercial banks simultaneously.

Opalola stated that the attempts by the armed robbers to attack the Police Division Armoury yielded no results as they were successfully repelled.

She explained that the robbers on sighting the policemen comprising CP’s Surveillance team, IRT, PRU, Anti-Kidnapping, STS, 39 PMF, JTF along with local security outfits who promptly engaged them in a fierce gun duel took to flight.

The spokesperson said the Police gave the criminals who fled into the bush with bullet wounds a chase and recovered four of the vehicles used for the operation along with some live ammunition.

She also revealed that in the course of the robbery, one Police Special Constabulary, Dauda Jelili was shot dead while four civilians were injured and receiving treatment in a hospital.

She added that the robbers carted away a certain amount of money which is yet to be ascertained from the banks.

Opalola also revealed that the Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode enjoined the people of the state to cooperate and collaborate with the Police through prompt and useful information in order to nip in the bud all criminal activities before they take place adding that residents should not hesitate to report any suspected person with gunshot and bullet wound.