It was reported that armed robbers, on Friday evening, attacked four banks, killing scores of people, including policemen, and many others injured in Otukpo, Benue state.
According to eye witnesses, the robbers ransacked Zenith, Stanbic and UBA banks in a convoy of Hilux trucks, which they loaded with cash in various bags at about 5:00pm local time.
The robbers first arrived shooting sporadically into the air, and later turned their weapons on innocent bank customers, policemen and bank staff who stood in their way.
The heavily armed robbers overpowered the handful of security men on duty at the banks.
The robbers moved from one bank to another with coordinated speed as people scampered for safety.
Police reinforcements, eye-witnesses said, did not arrive on time to stop the bank heist as the robbers got away with their loot while citizens recorded their departure with mobile phones and ran commentary on the dare-devilry of the armed men who obviously capitalized on the element of surprise.
The Police Divisions Officer (DPO) in Charge of Otukpo Police Division whose name could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report was said to have sustained bullet wounds and is being treated at an undisclosed hospital in town.
