Again, dare-devil armed robbers let hell loose in Delta State on Tuesday.
The gang struck in Asaba, the state capital, attacked a bullion van and killed Nollywood actor, Clem Onyeka.
The hoodlums held the popular Delta Broadcasting Service Road, off Okpanam Road in the capital city hostage and forced commuters to scamper for safety.
Men of the Delta State Police Command, whose headqaurters was a stone throw to the scene of the robbery, however gave them a hot chase.
The actor was returning from where he went to shoot a film when he ran into the hoodlums.
The Eagle Online further gathered that the actor was hit by a stray bullet during the shootout between the hoodlums and policemen.
Speaking on the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, however said the attack was foiled.
It would be recalled that a similar gang few months ago successfully attacked a bullion van with police escort along Agbor-Asaba Expressway and carted away billions of naira.
The command later in a statement on Tuesday said it has recovered an empty bullion van.
“Our men in the police escort displayed gallantry as they repelled the attack in a fierce gun duel,” Kalu said.
According to her, the bullion van was coming from Awka, the Anambra State capital, to deposit money at the Central Bank of Nigeria in Asaba, when it was attacked along the DBS Road.
The statement added: “The police escort team with the bullion van however lunched an attack and shot dead one of the robbers, but his gang members took the corpse away in their vehicle. The operation was unsuccessful, as the driver of the bullion van quickly drove away from the scene during the exchange of gunfire between the police and the robbers.”
The PPRO added that a passer-bye (the actor) was however killed by a stray bullet during the exchange of gunfire.
But an eyewitness said two people were killed during the face-off.
The source said: “It was a serious gun battle as the robbers, who operated in a SUV vehicle and a Toyota Sienna car, open fire at the bullion van. The police escort responded with fierce face-off and killed a member of the gang before his members took his corpse and escaped in their waiting vehicle.”
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