No fewer than three people, including a police inspector, were killed on Wednesday at Ayingba in the Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, when daring armed robbers struck at an old generation bank, carting away millions of naira.

According to an eye witness account, the robbers, numbering about eight, came into the bank premises in two unmarked vehicles and shot sporadically as they gained entry into the bank vaults and carted away millions of naira.

During the operation, the police, while were alerted, quickly mobilized their men to the scene. A shoot out ensued, but the robbers, who were said to possess sophisticated guns, killed a police inspector, while stray bullets hit some unsuspecting passers-by, many of whom sustained serious injuries.
The robbers, who were said to have operated for more than an hour, thereafter zoomed off with their loot leaving many in sadness and sorrow.

When contacted, the Kogi State Police Commissioner, Ibe Aghanya, confirmed the incident, but said he had sketchy information as at the time of filing this report.
He, however, confirmed that one of the victims included a police inspector, while the divisional police officer was also wounded.

Aghanya, who expressed bitterness over the death of one his men, however, called on members of the public to furnish the police with useful information that could lead to arrest of the fleeing robbers.
He also advised members of the public, especially bank customers not to panic over any bank robbery incident but to always take precaution by lying face down to avoid being hit by stray bullets.
In February, five people were killed when robbers invaded Idah, also in Kogi State, robbing two banks simultaneously. The quick intervention of the police, however, foiled the robbery incident but lives were lost in the process.