Policemen On the Run As Robbers Shoot Bank Customer Dead In Front Of Government House

There is pandemonium in Owerri, the Imo State capital, yesterday morning when daredevil armed robbers snatched an unspecified amount of cash after shooting their victim severally in front of Imo State Government House. In accordance with sources, both robbers, who have been reported to be in a Camry salon car, had trailed their unsuspecting victim and his wife once they withdrew money from one of many banks along the most popular Cathedral Road in Owerri metropolis.

It was learnt that both robbers, who swept up using their victim ahead of the Okigwe roundabout, directly opposite Government House, had shot sporadically in to the air to scare away people before ordering their victim handy over the amount of money, and when he resisted they shot him 3 x, snatched the amount of money and took off through Okigwe Road.

One of the eyewitnesses said: “I was at the newspaper stand across the road, just before the Okigwe roundabout, around 11am, when I heard a gunshot and then two young men in a Camry car blocked a man and his wife driving in another car.

“They asked the man to hand over the money. The woman ran out of the car, but the man refused to hand over the money to them. One of the robbers shot him three times and collected the money from him. I don’t know if he died.”

The source added that as soon as the robbers started shooting into the air, policemen, including personnel of the NSCDC at the roundabout opposite Government House, took to their heels.

Another witness recounted his experience: “I was four cars behind. When I heard gunshots, it dawned on me that those in the Camry were robbers, because the way they overtook me made me wonder where they were hurrying to. After snatching the money, they were shooting into the air, which sent people running in different directions, including the policemen at the Okigwe roundabout junction.”

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident and disclosed that the victim was confirmed dead at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.