‘How robbers killed my groom’

The six uniformed police men, armed with guns were inside a Peugeot 504 (2000 model) which was reportedly loaded with cash amounting to about N18million. The money, according to sources, was supposed to be the salary of staff of an unnamed company. They were attacked by armed robbers who apparently laid ambush on them.

An eyewitness told Weekly Trust that when the car reached the point where the robbers positioned themselves, very close to Quarry Road, along Ojo to Moniya road, the robbers opened fire which led to the instant death of the policemen.

The source said the gang including a female were sighted patrolling the area before the arrival of the vehicle, and that they were seen buying and eating roasted corn close to the place where the incident occurred. The source, however, said their motive then was not known as they looked harmless. After killing the six policemen and two civilians, the robbers also succeeded in making away with the money.

The spokesman of the Oyo State Police Command, Deputy Superintendant of Police (DSP) Olabisi Okuwobi confirmed the story. He said the police are working round the clock to fish out the robbers from their hideouts. He said the police is interested in establishing how the robbers got to know about the movement of the money and laid ambush on the route taken by the police.

Meanwhile, residents have continued to voice their opinion over the robbery attack, with many of them expressing optimism that the robbers could be traced if proper investigation is conducted. Some of them said the staff of the bank where the money was withdrawn from and the staff of the company where the money was to be taken to should be questioned.

Muhammed Abdullahi Musa is one of the policemen who fell to the bullet of the yet to be arrested armed robbers. His remains were taken to the residence of his close friend Alhaji Ashiru Sule Tela in Sabo area of Ibadan. As a Muslim, he was treated and interned in accordance with Islamic rites.

Ustaz Muhammed Lawal Bauchi and Ustaz Ibrahim Dan’azumi Bako, led Muslim faithful in the retrieval of Muhammed’s corpse from the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital; a total of N19,000 was paid before the corpse was released by the hospital. The corpse was interned the following Saturday at the Muslim cemetery located at Sasa.

The late Muhammed Abdullahi Musa’s widow, Zaliha told Weekly Trust that they just got married about two months ago, “And in the two months we have been married, I don’t remember him doing anything bad to me. We have been living peacefully, first at our hometown Potiskum in Yobe State, before he was transferred to Ibadan,” she said.

Zaliha added, “My prayer is for Allah the Almighty to have mercy on the soul of my husband, overlook his shortcomings and reward his good deeds. May the Almighty Allah expose his killers, or touch their hearts in a way they will abandon their evil trade so that we can see the end of armed robbery in our country.”