BANDITS INVADE KOGI, KILL 2 POLICEMEN
• The Divisional Police Station, Kabba, Kogi State, attacked by bandits
Pandemonium broke out in Kabba, the headquarters of Kabba Bunu local government of Kogi State when 10 armed men invaded the town and bombed the divisional police headquarters killing two officers. The local branch of a first generation bank situated within 200 metre range to the police station was also bombed but efforts to gain access to the bank vault failed.
According to investigations, the bandits numbering about 10 came into the premises of the police station, disarmed the officer on guard, and went straight to the armoury where they carted away guns and ammunitions, released the detainees in the station before they bombed the police station
Having successfully subdued the police, it was gathered that they now headed straight to the bank near the station shooting sporadically before they threw a dynamite to gain entrance into the banking hall.
It was also gathered that they fired several dynamites to the bank's vault but they could not gain access into the vault before they left in annoyance. Speaking with Sunday Sun, the state police commissioner, Amana Abasankanga who visited the scene for on the spot assessment said immediately he was alerted of the incident, he mobilized his anti riot men stationed in Okene to go with the APC tank to rescue the Kabba Police Command.
He said that unfortunately, on entry to Kabba, the CP said they met the bandits who opened fire on the rescue team and deflated the tyres of the APC tank before they escaped The police boss said his men swiftly responded to the exchange of gun fire before the bandits managed to escape and assured that his men were on red alert. He said that police preliminary investigations revealed that a large sum of money was deposited in the bank in the previous day for the payment of teachers' and council workers' salaries.
He said the bank has been raided by armed robbers for more than two times in recent times and urged residents not to panic as the long arm of the law will catch up with the fleeing bandits
The police boss refused to give the names of the victims but he identified their ranks as an inspector and a corporal
According to one Corporal Olatunji Opeyemi who managed to escape the scene with bullets wounds, the bandits came in three vehicles accompanied by a power motor bike rider at about 1.30 am and forcefully gained access into the police station.
Speaking with Sunday Sun, one of the security guards at the bank who identified himself as Jimoh Ibrahim confirmed that the bandits came in three vehicles and first of all bombed the police station before they came to bomb the banks Reacting to the ugly incident, Governor Ibrahim Idris described it as unacceptable saying it was barbaric for anybody to shed innocent blood of people.
The governor who spoke through his director- general, Press Affairs, Mr Richard Elesho immediately directed the State Security Service to swing into action to unravel those behind the incident.
Meanwhile, the corpse of the slain cops have been deposited at the morgue of Kabba General Hospital.