Nigeria Police chief, Ibrahim Idris

Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Two notorious armed robbers were Friday afternoon shot dead and another arrested by operatives of the Edo State Police Command, in Benin City.

It was reliably gathered that the four-man robbery gang had trailed their victim (name withheld), who came to Benin from Ughelli in Delta State, to buy a car, to a new generation bank located around Technical Road Junction in the City, where he had ‎gone to withdraw money.

The robbers who reportedly came in a grey colour Toyota Corolla car with an Abuja registration number,‎ were said to have gone into the bank with their victim, unknown to him and as he was coming out of the bank after withdrawing the money, they reportedly shot him in the lap after robbing him of the sum of N500,000.

Apparently to scare away people, the robbers reportedly shot sporadically into the air, as they attempted to escape, witnesses said.

They were however unlucky with their escapade, as they were chased by men of Operation Thunder Storm, a security outfit of the State Police Command that engages in regular patrols of Benin City and its environs.

Two of the armed robbers were shot dead during the encounter at the Evbomore area of Ugbowo, off Ugbowo-Lagos Road, while another member of the gang was said to have been arrested by the police, who were also said to have recovered the stolen money.

At press time, the police had cordoned the area and were still searching for the fourth member of the gang.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Edo State Police command, DSP Moses Nkombe, declined comment, saying he would have to seek clearance from his boss, the Commissioner of Police before he could speak.

Meanwhile, the victim of the attack is said to have been rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), for medical attention.
Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.