One killed, one man’s hand shattered as people scramble for cash during police, robbers shootout

A yet-to-be identified man was killed and another had his hand shattered when they joined other residents to pick up money left by fleeing thieves in a shootout with the police

The one whose hand was shattered reportedly works in an office near a bank building along Wellington Bassey Way in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

According to reports, a government vehicle with registration number AK705 C01— was coming from one of the new generation banks, where they had withdrawn a huge amount of cash when the driver of the car discovered that he was being trailed.

In an attempt to evade the thieves, the driver of the car, a Toyota Corolla, veered into Brooks Street but his vehicle unfortunately crashed into a Toyota Camry and was cornered by the robbers.

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An eyewitness, Mr. Joe Iyang who witnessed the event said; “As the driver was going through Paul Bassey Street, he noticed that some people were trailing him with a Toyota Corolla. As he tried to link Brooks Street, the vehicle crashed into a Toyota Camry that was going along the street. That was when the robbers blocked them.

“It was at this time that the robbers seized the vehicle, opened fire from all directions and shattered the boot and doors of the vehicle. They picked the money that was loaded in Ghana-Must-Go bags”.

The police who reportedly arrived the scene at this point, engaged the robbers who replied with equal force of arms.

The witness continued, that “In the process of moving the money into another vehicle, some residents defied the exchange of gunfire and scrambled over falling cash.

“The man that was shot at Barracks Road for also picking the money, rushed out of his office to pick the falling cash.”

As at the time of this report, Mr. Zubairu Muazu, the state’s Commissioner of Police, was yet to comment on the incident.

 

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