Robbers kill three students, varsity teacher in Edo
From Mike Osunde, Benin
THREE students and a teacher were feared killed yesterday when suspected armed robbers raided a bank at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State.
During the incident, the police also shot and injured one of the suspected robbers. He was, however, helped by his mates into their get-away sports utility van (SUV).
The raid threw the entire university town into confusion as the police pursued the hoodlums, who sporadically shot into the air to scare away the inhabitants.
Somewhere along Uwenlebo road, near the Ekpoma Police station, the bank raiders sighted a mechanic wearing a blue overall uniform.
Apparently taking him for a policeman, the suspected robbers shot him and took flight afterwards.
Edo Police spokesman Fatai Kinyomi confirmed the robbery yesterday but said that details about the incident were still being gathered.
By yesterday, the bank's officials were yet to know how much was carted away. However, sources said the hoodlums target was probably the huge sums the bank received as fees from students when they returned to the campus for a new session.
According to a police report, the suspected robbers came in an unmarked sports utility van to the bank. But as they commenced the raid, policemen at a near-by check-point were allegedly alerted and they came and engaged the raiders in a gun duel.
In the process, three students and a man identified as a university teacher were killed.
At the time of the robbery yesterday morning, the usually busy Benin-Auchi highway around the university gate was deserted.
Vehicles were initially diverted into Ekpoma town immediately after Iruekpen, with motorists thinking that there was students' riot. Inside the town, students joined police in search of the hoodlums.
At the site of any semblance of the sports utility van, people who gathered in various places scampered for safety.
The confusion lasted close to two hours and by noon yesterday, the Benin-Auchi Road had come alive again.
