Cops, robbers shootout kills 5
2005-06-06 13:55
Lagos - Five people were killed in a shootout between police and bandits during a foiled bank robbery in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos, police and witnesses said on Monday.
The gang of 30 robbers stormed the bank in the Itire area of the city early on Sunday and killed the security guard on duty before forcing their way into the bank's vaults.
"We mobilised our men in armoured tanks to dislodge the criminals on receiving the report of the operation. The robbers opened fire on us but we were able to overpower them, killing two of them on the spot while many others fled with bullet wounds," a police spokesperson said.
He said the prompt arrival of the police foiled the operation, adding the body of one of the robbers had been recovered by the police.
A witness, Kolawole Adanlawo, said five people, including two robbers, lost their lives during the shootout.
"A couple returning from a night party were felled by strayed bullets in addition to the bank security guard who was killed by the robbers," he said.
Incidents of bank robberies are becoming rampant in Nigeria's economic centres. Last week, seven people including two policemen were shot dead during raids on two commercial banks at Onne, near the oil city of Port Harcourt.