By Patrick Ochei
Recent confirmation has put the number of casualties from today’s armed robbery operation at United Bank for Africa, UBA located in Issele-Uku at three, with several others sustaining gunshot injuries.
Earlier it was reported that one person was shot dead while hiding behind a Geepee Tank close to his shop by some of the armed robbers mounting surveillance outside the bank.
From eye witness account, the robbers had stationed some of their gang members at strategic positions within the town, while others robbed the bank unhindered.
It was gathered that customers were held hostage inside the bank for almost an hour, while other gang members outside were raining bullets at random. In the process of the shooting spree, a trader, identified as an indigene of Issele-Uku from Ogbeofu village was shot dead while many others sustained bullet wounds.
Meanwhile, it was later discovered after the robbery operation that two persons were shot dead inside the bank.
The acting Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe had confirmed the incident but could not give a definite number of casualties, claiming he had been trying to reach out to the DPO of Issele-Uku Divisional Police Headquarters but to no avail.
He expressed worry over the development, praying nothing had happened to the DPO.
However, we can authoritatively report that the DPO allegedly abandoned his duty post by fleeing with his men on noticing the robbers at the station; thereby leaving them to rob the bank with ease.
Perhaps, the Rain Oil Filling Station close to the bank was not left out in the robbery operation, but the robbers changed their mind on robbing the Aniocha Micro-Finance Bank along the police station road.
From investigation, some of the eye witnesses spoken to, had to query the importance of the “Operation Delta Hawk”, confirming that calls were put through to them but they never responded, only for them to surface in the town after the robbers had successfully carried out their mission.
It could be recalled that the bank had previously been robbed for about two times before this one, and the robberies shared similarity in operations. However, it has remained disheartening that no intelligence investigation had been able to uncover those involved in this dastardly act.
As at the time of filing this report, several other persons are still battling with their lives from the gunshot injuries they sustained.
