A brazen daylight robbery on Friday morning left a motorist injured after armed men intercepted his vehicle and escaped with millions of naira along Murtala Muhammed Way in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The attack, which occurred at about 11:00 a.m. opposite the Vanguard Newspaper office, caused panic in the area as gunshots rang out, forcing residents and commuters to flee for safety.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the assailants, believed to be four in number, arrived in an ash-coloured Toyota Corolla with a faded registration number, having allegedly trailed the victim to the location. The gunmen reportedly opened fire on the victim’s grey Toyota Sienna, damaging the vehicle and deflating two tyres, which forced the driver to a halt.
Three of the attackers were said to have jumped out of their vehicle, while a fourth remained behind the wheel to ensure a swift getaway. In the process, stray bullets hit the driver on the arm and shattered both the front and rear windscreens of the Sienna.
Witnesses said the gunmen quickly loaded cartons suspected to contain large sums of money from the victim’s vehicle into their Corolla before fleeing the scene. The operation was carried out in the absence of security operatives, a situation that drew concern from bystanders who said no police presence was noticed during or immediately after the incident.
A journalist, Elder Stephen Oni, the Kwara State correspondent of The New Telegraph, also sustained injuries while attempting to escape the gunfire.
Confirming the incident, the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, said the command had been briefed and assured that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators.