The police in Ekiti State said on Saturday that they had recovered three vehicles allegedly used by the armed robbers who attacked a WEMA Bank branch at Iyin Ekiti in the Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State on Friday.
The state Commissioner for Police, Tunde Mobayo, who confirmed that there was no casualty, said the police had also recovered some Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), some wraps of Indian hemp, alcoholic drinks, and two mobile phones.
Mobayo, in a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer for the command, Sunday Abutu, titled, ‘Bank robbery in WEMA Bank, Iyin Ekiti and the recovery of three vehicles,’ enjoined the citizens not to be apprehensive as serious efforts were ongoing to arrest the suspects.
Sources said the armed robbers had blown the bank door with explosives and shot repeatedly into the air to scare away people and carted away an undisclosed amount of money.
The statement read, “The commissioner stated that at about 3.55 pm on Friday, a group of heavily armed robbers numbering 10 with one Volkswagen Golf with Reg No GED906AA, one Acura MDX Jeep with Reg No LSR327CD and one Toyota Camry Car with Reg No GED106ER invaded the branch of WEMA Bank in Iyin Ekiti, overpowered the mobile policemen posted to the bank due to their large number and robbed the bank. Although, there was no casualty.
“A swift reinforcement from the police to the scene made the robbers retreat with the three vehicles. The police operatives, however, gave the armed robbers a hot chase, exchanged fire with them during which they abandoned the three vehicles and took to their heels into the bush.
“The operatives of the Ekiti State Police Command, comprising the Police Mobile Force, Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SAFER HIGHWAY as well as the local vigilantes, led by the Divisional Police Officer are currently combing the bush for the possible arrest of the suspects.”
Mobayo also implored the people of the state to be vigilant and report to the nearest police station any suspicious movement of suspected person or group of persons they see in their communities by calling the Police Control Room Number on 08062335577.
