Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command on Thursday foiled what could have been a major bank robbery in the state, with three suspects arrested in the operation.
Special Anti-Robbery Squad and policemen from the Rumuolumeni Police Station, who acted on a tip-off, stormed a new generation bank located on Eagle Cement Road to arrest the robbers.
The suspects were reportedly arrested while they were using a gas cylinder to cut open an entrance into the bank.
The guys were said to have opened fire on the advancing police team, led DPO Felix Nnebue.
It was gathered that a SARS operative was injured during a gun duel that ensued between the robbers and the policemen.
The state Police PRO, Nnamdi Omoni, said the robbers were arrested at about 2am on Thursday.
Omoni disclosed that the SARS operative that sustained gunshot injury was rushed to a hospital.
He identified the three suspected bank robbers as Samuel Nwara (28), Kaaly Taagaba (28) and Lucky Ukwuoma (26).
He said, “Today (Thursday), at about 2pm, upon a distress call that there was a robbery going on at a bank on Eagle Cement Road, Rumuolumeni, a combined team of SARS and men of Rumuolumeni Police Station, led by the DPO, Felix Nnebue, stormed the scene of the robbery.”
Explaining that the suspects were helping the police in the investigation into the foiled robbery with a view to arresting others on the run, Omoni said one cooking gas cylinder, one handsaw, one chisel and two Ghana-must-go bags were recovered from the robbers.
“The Commissioner of Police, Francis Odesanya, has said the command under his watch will relentlessly fight all manner of crimes in the state.
“He has promised to make Rivers State safer, especially during the Yuletide, and urged the public to have confidence in the police.”
