Dare devil armed robbers yesterday ambushed a team of policemen attached to a bank, in the process they killed a police officer Mr. Sunday Agboricaen and an unlucky pregnant woman at Mowo bus stop, Badagry Expressway, Lagos.
The pregnant woman who died in the gun duel which ensued was selling roasted corn by the roadside.
The policemen were conveying over an unknown amount of cash in a Toyota Hilux van with registration number NA 621 KJA and a pick-up van LL200 with registration number DL 382 LXR from Badagry to Lagos.
This is against the standing instruction from the police that only bullion vans should be used for cash transit.
Eyewitness account said that the robbers, acting on a tip off, laid ambush at a bad portion of the road.
An eyewitness, who craved anonymity, said the death toll could be as high as five because many people were shot.
He said, “Around 3pm on Tuesday, some thugs, wielding sophisticated weapons, opened fire on two trucks, one of which was carrying a huge sum of money. The robbers shot sporadically, hitting many bystanders at Mowo Bus Stop.
“Policemen, who were in one of the vehicles, came out and engaged them in a gun duel but the robbers overpowered them, killing one and injuring another. The robbers conveyed bundles of cash into their vehicle before fleeing.
“One of the robbers was shot but he managed to escape. In all, I can say about five people were killed because many people were shot, including some motorists, who parked to buy corn at the bus stop.
The robbers also carted away the money in the vans.
Other police officers injured in the gun duel are still recuperating at a public hospital.
Fielding questions from journalists at the Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Mr. Umar Abubakar Manko, confirmed the incident, saying investigation into the matter was ongoing.
He said: “Police have warned banks that whenever they want to transport money, they should use bullion van. The instruction on cash movement is very clear. But unfortunately in this matter, the people used ordinary vehicle in moving cash from Badagry to Lagos. We suspect inside connivance in the whole issue; but investigations are still ongoing and I don’t want to preempt issues.”