Four persons, including a policeman, were feared killed in two separate bank robbery attempts in Lagos on Monday.
Besides, another policeman and a few other civilians who sustained gunshot injuries during the attacks have been hospitalised.
The first attack happened at the premises of a First Bank branch in Ibeshe, Ikorodu, at about 9.30am.
No fewer than 20 armed men, it was learnt, besieged the bank, which is situated near a police post, in three vehicles.
The robbers took the entire bank staff and customers hostage and began to make their way into the bank�s strong room.
The police, who were subsequently alerted of the incident, were reported to have moved to the scene of the robbery.
During a fierce encounter that ensued between the robbers and the police, a sergeant was killed while another policeman was badly wounded.
As the crossfire continued, the robbers made desperate attempt to escape from the scene of the robbery.
Immediately they dashed across the road, they snatched a Honda Accord car and a Toyota Camry car in a bid to escape.
Both cars were later abandoned for another Mercedes Benz car, which was allegedly pursued by policemen until it was also abandoned and the robbers ran into the bush.
Between 11am and noon, another gang of armed robbers, struck at a Wema Bank branch on Abimbola Street, Ilasamaja.
Our correspondent learnt that the robbers got wind that a company was conveying money to the bank in bullion van.
They trailed the bullion van but it was gathered that the van had entered the bank premises before the arrival of the robbers.
However, the robbers moved in on the bullion van and its police escorts and there was an exchange of gunfire.
During this second encounter, it was learnt that two persons were felled by bullets before the robbers escaped, abandoning a jeep.
It could not, however, be confirmed as at press time whether the robbers succeeded in getting away with cash from both banks.
Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Olubode Ojajuni, confirmed the attacks to our correspondent on Monday.
According to Ojajuni, only one person (the police sergeant) died while another was hospitalised in both incidents.
He said the police had recovered all the four vehicles abandoned by the robbers, adding that one AK-47 rifle and two magazines were found in one of the vehicles.
Oct232007