Police authorities in Ondo State have said they lost 19 AK47 rifles following last week’s invasion of Ikare-Akoko Police Station in Akoko North East Local Government Area.
Four of the rifles were taken from the policemen who were killed on First Bank premises on Jubilee Road in Ikare-Akoko, while the other 15 were stolen when the daredevil armed robbers attacked a police station at Igbede, on Owo Road.
In a signal sent to all the police divisions in the state command, which our correspondent saw, the police hierarchy asked the police formations to intensify efforts to recover the rifles from the armed robbers.
Armed robbers had invaded Ikare-Akoko last Tuesday and killed about 20 persons, among them eight policemen, in an operation that lasted about one hour.
It was learnt that the robbers invaded five banks: First Bank, Keystone Bank, Wema Bank, Syke Bank and Eco Bank.
They stole undisclosed amount of money.
Aside cash, the robbers also stole cars and other valuables.
A witness, who has an office opposite the First Bank, said two people were killed while withdrawing money from an ATM machine on the bank premises, one person was shot dead at Idi Mango, while others were killed on Jubilee Road.
The witness said after about one hour operation, bodies littered the street.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Wole Ogodo, said in a statement that 15 people, among them five policemen, were shot dead.
Ogodo said: “The incident of the bank robbery and attack on the police station at Ikare was a sad incident. The attack was sudden and coordinated.
“They used General Purpose Machine guns, improvised explosive devices and other sophisticated weapons. They came in large number and syndicated themselves. The group of 25 armed men, which attacked Ikare Police Station, came on foot through unfenced part of the station.
“The station guards engaged them but were outnumbered with introduction of sophisticated weapons which made them to retreat. They demobilised the Armoured Personnel Carrier at the station by shooting at the tyres because it was not bullet proof.
“Two male civilians were killed at the station. The robbers vandalised the entire station. The other group raided five banks – First Bank, Wema, Skye, Eco and Keystone banks – and carted away unspecified amount.
“We lost five policemen attached to Fast Strike Squad that ran into the hoodlums. The hoodlums fled when they saw the two APCs dispatched from neighbouring divisions and demobilised them by firing at their tyres.
“They began to shoot at innocent people as they were escaping.”
Ogodo added that the armed robbers targeted a First Bank bullion van on special escort with N25 million.
However, the police escort prevented them from having access to it.
He said: “Eleven civilians were killed by hoodlums in the attacked. Two undetonated devices were recovered at the scene. High profile investigation has been instituted and frantic efforts are on to track down the hoodlums.”