Osun State Police Command has given details on how bank robbers invaded Iragbiji Divisional Police Headquarters and Wema Bank in Iragbiji town on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, confirming the death of two police officers during the pursuit of the criminals.
In a statement by the command’s spokeswoman, SP Yemisi Opalola, on Wednesday, September 29, it was said that the armed robbers, numbering about 20, came at about 2:55pm in commando-like style, with about four vehicles, and simultaneously attacked the police station and the bank.
According to the PPRO, “the robbers invaded the Police Divisional Headquarters and Wema Bank with sporadic shootings and launching of explosive devices, in an attempt to disorganize, incapacitate and destabilize the police who were in a fierce gun battle with them while robbing Wema Bank simultaneously.
“As a result, some parts of the Divisional Police Headquarters were damaged. The daredevils also shot at a Police Armoured Personnel Carrier tyres with explosive devices.
“The robbers, in a bid to gain entry into the bank, blew off its security door with dynamite. The Automated Teller Machine (ATM) was also destroyed but an attempt to break into the bank strong room was foiled.”
She stated further that during hot pursuit of the fleeing bandits, unfortunately, two police Inspectors, whose names were given as Ogunbiyi Ahmed and Odeyemi Ayinla, were shot dead.
Opalola added that on sighting the policemen comprising police tactical teams and local security outfits who had promptly engaged them in a fierce gun duel, the robbers fled and abandoned their unexploded dynamites and two of their vehicles.
The incident made the police, jointly with local security outfits, to be combing the bushes in a bid to arrest the robbers, believed to have escaped with multiple injuries.
The state Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode, who vowed to bring the perpetrators to book to pay for their crime, enjoined the people of the state to cooperate and collaborate with the police by giving prompt and useful information that would assist in nipping in the bud all criminal activities before incidents would occur.
The police commissioner also appealed to members of the public to inform the police of any suspected person or persons seen with gunshot or bullet wounds.
