5th April, 2012
Robbers on Monday morning blew up a bank vault with dynamite in Ejigbo, Lagos state, southwest Nigeria, and carted away huge sums of money.
It was not certain how much they stole because there was no official response on that, but sources told P.M.NEWS that millions of naira was carted away.
The divisional police officer, DPO at Ejigbo division was immediately transferred after the incident.
P. M.NEWS could not ascertain why he was removed but sources at the station told reporters that it might be in connection with the incident.
The operation reportedly lasted over four hours.
Though the police responded, they were over powered by the robbers who had more sophisticated weapons.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the gang stormed the bank located at Ejigbo-Ikotun road at about 1a.m. and shot their guns several times before they blew up the ATM and carted away the money.
The security men on night duty were not spared. They were rounded up at gun point and tied with ropes while the operation lasted.
When P.M.NEWS visited the affected bank, customers were sent back because of the incident.
Sources at the bank said that the bank had to stop operation temporary so as to ascertain the extent of the loss.
The new DPO was not around when P.M.NEWS visited the station.
However, sources at the station comfirmed the incident and the transfer of the former DPO.
It was not the first time such operation was carried oiut in Lagos State. Some time last year, a similar operation took place at Ayobo area when a gang blew up a bank with dynamite and carted away millions of naira in the same manner.
As at the time of filing this report, no arrest had been made.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe