Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
There was pandemonium in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital on Friday as a three man robbery gang stormed a new generation bank along Sani Abacha way shooting dead a bank customer.
Eye-witness account stated that the bank customer identified as Emmanuel Omomo aka Ibori from Delta State was believed to have withdrawn a huge sum of money and had already entered a commercial tricycle when the robbers struck.
The eye-witness account said immediately the deceased saw a masked man dressed in black alighted from a Toyota Camry car that pulled beside the tricycle, he tried to run off following the bush path behind the bank but the gunman shot him in the stomach and shot him repeatedly while he had fallen down before taking the bag he was clutching.
“On sighting the gunman, the victim ran out of the Keke and moved towards the bush path behind the bank entrance where he was shot on the stomach, and he fell. The gunman then shot him repeatedly on his abdomen before collecting the bag suspected to containing some amount of money, and zoomed off towards the popular Julius Berger roundabout in the waiting “Camry” the eye-witness said.
Investigations revealed that attempts by Policemen attached to the bank and another neighbouring bank to foil the escape of the robbers was futile as their car zoomed off towards the Julius Berger flyover.
The deceased was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa but was pronounced dead as he had lost a lot of blood.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Asinim Butswat who confirmed the incident said the Police have launched a man hunt for the robbers.
“Authorities of the Bayelsa State Police Command have launched manhunt for the unknown gunmen who shot a Bank customer in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The unfortunate incident occurred on 3 July, 2020 at about 1000 hours, at the premises of a new generation Bank in Yenagoa when a customer was accosted by unknown gunmen after he withdrew money. The armed robbers who came in a black Toyota Camry car accosted the customer one Emmanuel Omomo ‘m’ when he came out of the Bank after making the withdrawals, shot him, collected all the money in his possession and zoomed off. The victim was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa where he was confirmed dead. Investigation is ongoing.”