By Sodiq Lawal
Residents and men of the Police Force on Monday foiled a planned attack by some armed robbers on commercial banks in Ile Ife.
The armed robbers whose number could not be ascertained as of the time of filling this report, failed to gain entry into the bank but riddled the bank’s Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) gallery and took to their heels when they heard the police siren.
The armed robbers ran towards Akarabata line 1 as police, vigilante groups and others followed them in attempt to catch them but all efforts went in vain.
An eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that the incident occurred about 11:30am.
He added that the armed robbers had already robbed residents of Ondo road earlier this morning before coming down to Lagere.
Social and economic activities were paralyzed for more than an hour while the robbery lasted, as frightened residents fled in difficult directions.
Vehicles disappeared from all major roads in the town as many of them turned back on learning about the robbery.
Another eyewitness said: “it was a terrible experience for both Ile Ife and Modakeke people today. The areas became a war zone with endless gun shots fired by the robbers.
“Although they didn’t succeed in entering the bank. But they scattered everywhere.”
