Residents of Adeniyi Jones area of Lagos State are appealing to the Lagos State Police Command to check the incessant bank robbery in their area.
This followed the shooting on Wednesday of a middle aged man, Adeitan Adesanmi, by suspected armed robbers who trailed him from a bank in the area.
They also dispossessed him of the N200,000 he collected from the bank.
The incident, which happened about 12pm, caused pandemonium in the area as the robbers were said to have carried out the crime without any resistance.
Eyewitnesses said the armed robbers operated on a motorcycle.
They reportedly pursued Adesanmi, shot him on the leg, then snatched the N200,000.
Residents of the area took him to a nearby clinic where he was treated.
A resident, who simply identified herself as Mariam, urged the police to do more in checking bank robbery in the area.
Mariam said: “Bank robbery has become a daily occurrence at Adeniyi Jones as just on Monday they struck and robbed a lady of her withdrawal from Guaratee Trust Bank.
“The lady was heading to Ecobank to deposit the money when the armed robbers followed her and snatched the money from her.
“You know there are many banks in the area so you witness such incidents all the time.”
It was gathered that the suspected armed robbers lurk around the area and are well informed of the bank customers’ transactions.
Another resident, who requested anonymity, said the police should place a quick response team in the area to guard against bank robberies.
The resident said: “The guy would have bled to death despite the fact that he ran to the Redeemed Christian Church of God in the area but the dare devil robbers, who operated without fear in the broad daylight, chased him to the front of the gate and collected the money.
“We later rushed him to the hospital.
“So the police must do more to check all the bank robberies as there is nothing wrong in placing a Rapid Response police team in the area, considering the fact that there are many banks at Adeniyi Jones.”
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police Ngozi Braide, said the command was not aware of any bank robbery in the area.
Braide said: “I called the policemen at the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria Centre Police Division and I was told that there was no robbery or any crime at Adeniy Jones.”
It can be recalled that bank staff have been fingered in several robberies as the police in an undercover investigation arrested four staff of the Guarantee Trust Bank recently in Gbagada area of Lagos State for allegedly attempting to connive with an armed robbery gang to rob the branch.