Suspected armed robbers on Monday attacked and robbed a bank customer of an undisclosed amount of money and left a police officer severely injured during a gun duel at the Osuntokun area of Ibadan North Local Government, Oyo State.

The victim, according to eyewitnesses, was trailed by the gunmen after making a cash withdrawal from a commercial bank before being ambushed along Osuntokun/Secretariat Road, Agodi, at about 8:00 a.m.

It was gathered that the attackers, travelling in a separate vehicle, intercepted the victim’s grey Nissan Primera with registration number EPE 901 PS and dispossessed him of a substantial sum at gunpoint.

An eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, said the gunmen blocked the victim’s vehicle and opened fire sporadically to scare passersby before carting away the money.

“They followed him from the bank and crossed his car around Osuntokun. They shot into the air and took the money. A police officer who was on patrol nearby tried to intervene but was shot and badly injured,” the witness recounted.

The daylight attack sparked tension in the area, with residents calling for increased police patrols and better surveillance around major financial institutions and adjoining routes.

Confirming the incident in a statement, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Adewale Osifeso, said the command received reports of the armed robbery which occurred around Secretariat Road, Agodi, and had since launched a manhunt for the assailants.

According to the statement: “A bank depositor travelling in a metallic grey Nissan Primera with license plate number EPE 901 PS was tracked and forcibly robbed of a substantial, yet-to-be-ascertained amount of cash. Initial investigations indicate that an officer associated with the Oyo State

Police Command sustained severe injuries during a confrontation that arose when his team on patrol engaged the suspects in a bid to thwart their further plans of causing chaos following the attack.”

Osifeso confirmed that there were no fatalities and that the injured officer was receiving medical attention at a secure healthcare facility.

He appealed to members of the public to provide useful information that could aid in the swift arrest of the suspects.

“We assure the public that an extensive investigation is underway, and updates will be communicated as they become available,” the statement added.