18th January, 2012
Gunmen at about 8.30 a.m. today raided a beer depot along Ikwerre road in Rumuigbo, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
They reportedly made away with an undisclosed amount of money and other valuables including handsets.
An eyewitness said the robbers shot into the air to scare people away.
They also riddled a car with bullets but no life was lost.
Mr. Ben Ugwuegbulem, Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command confirmed the incident and said that the police are on the trail of the fleeing robbers.
P.M.NEWS recalls that robbers in a similar manner raided a liquor depot at D-Line area of Port Harcourt in December last year.
In that raid, they made away with cash and killed three staff Rivers State Transport Authority who were controlling traffic and a passer-by.
Similarly, a pregnant woman and her police escort were killed near the Rivers State School of Basic Studies in Rumuola, Port Harcourt, by armed robbers led by a lady armed with automatic sub-machine gun.
They had ambushed the victims who were carrying a huge cash intended for the purchase of recharge cards.
They successfully made away with the undisclosed sum.
Governor Chibuike Amaechi was so touched by the casualty that he assured that security agents would go after the robbers to bring them to book. But none of the suspects has been arrested.
—Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt