11th March, 2013
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Alhaji Umar Manko, on Sunday said his men had foiled a robbery attack on one of the first generation banks in the state.
Manko told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that a 10-man suspected armed robbery gang had perfected plans to rob the Ajao Estate branch of the bank on Osolo road.
The police chief said that his men got information about the suspects’ planned deadly operation and moved to foil it.
“On March 8, I received information that some suspected armed robbers who had perfected plans to rob the Osolo branch of the bank are approaching Lagos from Ogun.
“Three special anti-robbery squads were quickly mobilised and laid ambush at Abule-Egba, on Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway from where the suspects were intercepted,” Manko said.
He said that seven members of the gang escaped with severe injuries while the remaining three were arrested with bullet wounds after fierce gun battle.
Manko said three AK 47 rifles, nine AK 47 magazines with 270 live rounds and three double barrel pistols with 65 cartridges were recovered from the suspects.
He said the police team also recovered the gang’s operational vehicles, a Toyota Sienna bus marked AKD 54 AG and Nissan Sunny, with registration number BT 914 APP.
The police chief said intensive follow-up was going on to recover another car carrying three AK47 rifles and two rocket launchers belonging to the gang.