A trader, Dayo Bankole, has lost his life after a gang of armed robbers invaded a popular phone market at Oke Ilewo, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Wednesday.
The daredevils, numbering about eight, were said to have stormed the market known as ‘TARMARC’ around 5.30 p.m. before shooting sporadically and carting away expensive phones.
Narrating the incident in a statement on Thursday, police spokesman, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said after a distress call was quickly made to the police at Ibara, the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Abayomi Adeniji, quickly mobilised his anti-robbery and surveillance teams in collaboration with men of the Amotekun Corps.
“On sighting the policemen, the robbers engaged them in gun battle, but due to the superior fire power of the policemen, the hoodlums took to their heels.
“They were hotly chased and with the assistance of the market men, one of the robbers later identified as Adeniji Sakiru 32 years old was apprehended.
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“Unfortunately, one Dayo Bankole, a trader in the market, who was shot by the robbers gave up the ghost while receiving treatment at General Hospital Ijaye Abeokuta,” the statement said.
Oyeyemi stated that items recovered from the arrested suspect was a double-barrel locally-made gun and assorted criminal charms.
Meanwhile, the outgoing Commissioner of Police, AIG Frank Mba, has ordered a massive manhunt for the remaining members of the gang while appealing to the public, especially hospitals, to inform the police if anyone with gunshot injury is brought in.