Suspected gunmen, yesterday, attacked an Army patrol van, killed a soldier, and carted away sack bags (Ghana-Must-Go) believed to be loaded with cash in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Three soldiers were in the military vehicle heading towards Ikpoba-hill axis when the assailants ambushed them at the traffic lights along Akpakpava Road by First Junction in the city.

It was gathered that the gunmen drove an unmarked ash-coloured Toyota Camry car against the traffic towards the army vehicle as two of the four occupants alighted and opened fire on the van.

Amid the rain of bullets, the three soldiers were said to have abandoned their patrol vehicle and the loaded Ghana-Must-Go bags.

The Guardian gathered that one of the fleeing soldiers was, however, unlucky, as he fell down and died, after he sustained bullet wounds from the gunmen.

Sources said the attackers grabbed the bag from the military patrol van, dropped it in their operational Toyota Camry car and sped off.

When newsmen visited the scene a few minutes after the attack, blood of the victim was visible on a walkway, in front of Mobil Petrol Station, as shop owners hurriedly closed businesses.

Some street hawkers, who witnessed and narrated the ugly attack, said many people around would have died if the soldiers had the opportunity to respond to the gunfire of their attackers.

“One of the three soldiers fell down there while running away, he tried to get up, but he couldn’t, he was just bleeding. Later, his two colleagues came out to meet him but they were helpless.

“Imagine a popular and busy Junction like this, the government cannot install security cameras to record whatever is going on here, it’s unfortunate”, a shop owner said.
When contacted, spokesperson for Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident.

He said a soldier was killed when hoodlums attacked a military patrol vehicle at First Junction, Akpakpava Road, Benin City, sometime at about 2.00p.m.

“Edo State Police Command can confirm that a military personnel was killed today, August 23, in Benin City.

“A good Nigerian reported the incident at the police station covering that neighborhood.
“The hoodlums carted away a Ghana-Must-Go bag believed to have been loaded with cash kept inside the army van.

“Since they were in their patrol vehicle, they should be armed. The assailants acted on information. Investigation will unravel all that,” Nwabuzor added.