Tragedy struck in Ikere Ekiti on Wednesday evening as three men were feared killed during a robbery attack on two new-generation banks located in the ancient community.
It was gathered that the armed robbers struck at about 4.30 pm, shot sporadically into the air, making the panic-stricken people of the community scamper for safety.
The daredevil robbers were said to have gained access to the banking halls by blowing doors of the banks with dynamites and carted away an undisclosed amount of money.
It was also gathered that the armed robbers numbering twenty carried out the attacks on the two commercial banks simultaneously.
It was learnt that before the robbers hit the banks, they first attacked the Ikere command of the Amotekun Corps along Ise Road and reportedly shot some operatives.
A source close to the scene of the robbery disclosed that he sighted a blood-soaked lifeless body around the gate of one of the banks, while he learnt that two others were killed by the robbers in another location in the town.
According to the source who preferred anonymity, “I can confirm the killing of a man at one of the banks. He was shot in the head. The lifeless body was there until police arrived the scene and people dispersed. I heard that two others were shot dead at another place”.
Another source, who disclosed that the robbers used a motorbike and a black car for the operation, added, “Even, we learned that their explosives hit a mini van and damaged the vehicle along the road”.
A community leader, described the incident as unfortunate, saying the armed robbers carried out the operations in the two banks for several minutes unhindered and escaped.
The community leader said that the traditional institution in the community had called the security agents including Area Commander, DPO and DSS, who had assured that soldiers around the axis had been alerted.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, Sunday Abutu, to get his reaction proved abortive.