Popular Nollywood actor, Mr. Clems Onyeka, and a policeman died yesterday, when armed robbers attacked a billion van in Asaba, the capital city of Delta State.
It was gathered that the robbers trailed the bullion van from the Benin/Asaba Expressway through Summit Road and intercepted it on the DBS Road, by U & I Foundation, where they engaged the police on escort duty in a shoot-out and the Nollywood ace was hit by a stray bullet.
A dependable source said the robbers, numbering over eight, came out from their Sienna Toyota car in a commando style.
The shootout, which lasted for over 20 minutes, according to the source, caused pandemonium on the ever busy DBS Road, a few meters away from the State Police headquarters and office of the deputy governor as motorists, pedestrians and other road users scampered for safety, abandoning their cars.
Noting that the bullion van driver escaped with the van intact, the sources said the office complex of the U & I Foundation being run by Mrs Ngozi Olejeme, was riddled with bullets.
Confirming the attack, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Celestina Kalu, said Mr. Clems Onyeka was hit by stray bullet during the shootout, but said no police officer was killed.
He added that one of the robbers was also killed by the police who repelled them.
Kalu, however, said the armed gang escaped with the corpse of one of their colleagues killed in the shootout, adding that the suspects abandoned the Sienna car they came in and escaped with another car snatched from an unsuspecting motorist.
She said the police was still on the trail of the armed bandits. – Vanguard.
