Armed robbers shoot 1, cart away ex-naval officer’s N5m in Sokoto

Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto

Suspected armed robbers on Thursday in Sokoto State robbed a retired navy captain (name withheld) of his N5 million after withdrawing the cash from an old generation bank.

Source said the victim was trailed to Sahara area of Sokoto metropolis where he had stopover to perfect his ‘routine business transaction’ when the armed men carried out the attack.

Eyewitness said the armed men numbering three also shot at the driver of the retired navy officer who was awaiting in a 406 Peugeot car where the money was concealed before escaping with the cash.

The police spokesman for the Sokoto State police command ASP Sadiq Abubakar in a statement made available to journalists in Sokoto said following information received from the Divisional Police Officer, Sokoto Central Division, the incident occurred at about 11:30 in the morning.

He described the victim as a school contractor and newspapers distributor whose is resident in Argungu, Kebbi State but came to the State for a business transaction.

“The sum of N5 million was withdrawn from First Bank Plc main branch, Kano Road, Sokoto which he (victim) kept in the trunk of his Peugeot 406 car and proceeded to Sahara area to drop unsold papers and collect new ones, a routine he usually did ever Thursday.

“Unknown to him, he was being trailed by hoodlums in a Toyota Corolla ‘S’ yellow in colour with three occupants. That happened while the retired navy officer was in the office of his business partner trying to sort things out.

“The hoodlums shot at his driver, one Samaila Isa ‘m’ of the same address in his left leg though not fatal, carted away the N5million from the trunk of his car.

“The injured driver was rushed to specialist hospital by security operatives who responded to the distress call, where he was treated and discharged,” the statement reads.

ASP Sadiq promised that effort was ongoing to track down the fleeing perpetrators for possible prosecution, adding that further development on the incident would be communicated in due course.