Four dead in Delta robbery attack

Four persons were killed when policemen engaged a 25-man robbery gang in a shootout in Delta State.

Eight others were injured in the attack, which took place in Kwale, Ndokwa–West Local Government on Wednesday.

Commissioner of Police Mamman Tsafe said two of the victims were members of the gang. The others were bystanders.

At a briefing in Asaba, yesterday, Tsafe said the bystanders died as a result of the robbers’ indiscriminate shooting.

He said the robbers besieged the Kwale branches of some banks simultaneously, carting away N84 million.

Tsafe said his men confronted them on the Amai-Nsukwaa road, where a robber was killed.

He said the fleeing robbers abandoned a Toyota Camry and a Sports Utility Van (SUV).

The commissioner said policemen confronted the robbers at Nsukwa community, where another robber was killed. The others fled with bullet wounds.

Items recovered include: AK 47 rifles; 20 live ammunition; 38 empty magazines; dynamite; N4.65million cash; two wrist watches; 2000 expended ammunition, expended explosives and dynamites

Other items are a Black Toyota Camry; Toyota 4Runner; Toyota Sienna Space Bus and a Delta Line Bus.

In a related development, the police rescued a kidnap victim after he was abducted at Okpara Waterside on Benin-Abraka road.

The victim, Lawrence Iriogbe, is a manager of a new generation bank in Abraka.

Tsafe said his men, acting on a tip-off, stormed an uncompleted building at Ugolo and rescued the banker.

He said his men foiled a robbery on Onitsha/Asaba Road.

According to him, Special Anti-Robbery (SARS) operatives responded to a distress call and accosted two hoodlums robbing Amibede Emeka.

He said one of the robbers, Emmanuel Obi, was arrested.