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From Priscilla Ediare, Ado Ekiti
Armed robbers on Monday evening attacked a branch of an old generation bank in Aramoko Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State and shot dead a police officer and a Special Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps.
The same bank had experienced a similar attack in 2010, making it the second time it would be robbed.
A source told reporters yesterday that the armed robbers, who entered the town via Igede Ado Ekiti road, got to the premises of the bank after working hours and blew off the main door with an explosive mechanism suspected to be dynamite to gain entry into the banking hall.
The source added that before the gun-wielding robbers entered the bank, they opened fire on the police officer on guard while the Special Marshall, who was in his private vehicle ran into the barricade mounted by the armed robbers to prevent external forces from the axis and was shot in the process.
The armed robbers escaped through the newly constructed Erijiyan-Ikogosi road, after the operation which lasted for close to 30 minutes.
The eyewitness explained that the effect of the dynamite threw the town into pandemonium as houses and shops in the area were affected
Confirming the attack, the spokesman of the Ekiti State Police Command, Mr Sunday Abutu, said that two persons were killed in the robbery attack.
“It was an attempted robbery, but they were repelled. Even our men and officers of Rapid Response Squad gave them a hot chase and recovered two vehicles they used for the operation.
“The policeman they killed was outside the bank while the FRSC special marshall was also shot at a distance to the bank.
“The police have swung into action and we will make sure that we get to the root of this matter,” he said.
