Businessman loses over N8 billion cash in daylight robbery in Ogun

Michael Adesina

An Hausa trader lost $11million cash (N8,250,000,000) to a four-man gang of armed robbers on Friday afternoon in Ogun State.

The robbers attacked the businessman at Oke-Sokori axis of Abeokuta metropolis, Ogun State capital.

Eye witnesses reported that the operation lasted for only three minutes.

The robbers, who wore black T-shirt and Jean trousers, operated in a tinted Toyota Camry car with registration number JJN 137 ***.

They intercepted their victim’s car right in front of the FATGBEMS Petroleum Filling Station at Oke-Sokori.

They forcefully halted the victim’s car and forced the car’s trunk opened.

They escaped the scene with their targeted money stacked in two ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bags after demobilising the car of the unsuspecting victim who rode in a Toyota Venza salon car, marked: ABC 565 GN.

Narrating his ordeals before the two police patrol teams that later arrived the scene 30 minutes after the robbery incident, the victim, whose name could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, was returning to his base after an unsuccessful banking transaction where he had gone to deposit the foreign currency.

During his narration, the Abeokuta-based Hausa trader told the police patrol team that he had earlier approached the Oke-Ilewo branch a commercial bank for the purpose of depositing the money, but was turned back on the premise that the banking hours had lapsed.

But while returning to his base, the dare-devil armed robbers struck.

Giving update on the incident, the Ogun State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed that operatives of the command were already on the trail of the criminals.

“It is quite unfortunate that the suspects had escaped the scene before our operatives would arrive at the scene. But I want to assure you that we will definitely get them and bring them to justice.

“The command had immediately upon receipt of information about the incident, sent signal across the state to ensure that the suspects are tracked down. All our technical units have been activated and for sure, we will get them.

“I, however, want to use this medium to assure the good people of Ogun State not to panic as there is no course for alarm; they should remain calm, go about their normal and routine businesses because our men will surely track down the suspects,” the PPRO stated.