Two killed, 5 injured as Unidentified Armed Robbers Attacked a Bullion Van In Rivers State

There was pandemonium in Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) on Friday as daring armed robbers attacked a bullion van and allegedly snatched two Ghana-must-go bags containing an unspecified amount of cash.

Eyewitnesses said the bandits had trailed the bullion van to the one of the banks at the RSUST campus and ambushed it the moment the cash was being offloaded.

The robbers started shooting sporadically to scare people immediately they got the unspecified amount of loaded cash in two ‘Ghana-must-go’ bags and escaped through the back gate of the institution.


A crowd of customers made up students and members of public that were at the front of the UBA bank where the bullion van had stopped were forced to take cover and scampered for safety in the midst sporadic gun shots.

According to an eyewitness account, the robbers who were six in number, came in a Toyota Sienna car. One person was killed while five others were injured inside the university.

It was further gathered that robbers were accosted outside the university premises by policemen, who engaged the robbers in a fierce gun battle as they drove through Iloabuchi and Nsukka street in Mile One area of Port Harcourt.

In their attempt to escape from the fire power of the police, the armed robbers, who already had a flat tyre, shot and killed the owner of a Sport Utility Vehicle, dragged him out and escaped with the car.
According to an eyewitness, “The armed robbers were fearless. They entered RSUST, went straight to the bullion van and opened fire. One person was killed instantly while five persons that were injured were rushed to the hospital.

“It is shocking that armed robbers can operate successfully inside the campus and go scot-free. What we are talking about happened around 3:30pm. They came in through the main gate and left through the back gate of the university. The bank locked their customers inside during the attack.”

The sporadic gunshots caused panic among traders, passers-by and motorists and most shop owners closed for the day in order not to be hit by stray bullets.

The University Spokesman, Mr. Desmond Wosu, confirmed that the armed robbers killed one person and injured five during their operation inside the university. “We are yet to truly identify victims if they are students of the University or not but we have admitted them in our sick bay for first aid treatment before transferring them other hospitals for specialized attention.”

Also, Ahmad Mohammad, the Rivers Command Public Relations Officer who spoke on the incident, confirmed that armed robbers attacked a bullion van conveying an undisclosed amount of cash belonging to a bank customer.

Mohammad stated that the bandits were engaged in a gun duel by the police.
“Sensing policemen were getting close to them, they (robbers) jettisoned the operation and abandoned their operational vehicle, including an unspecified amount of money in locked bags.

They escaped after robbing a vehicle from a motorist. “Items recovered from the foiled armed robbery include: their operational vehicle, a golden colour Toyota Highlander, one Barretta pistol, one scorpion rifle, 11 AK-47 magazines, 63 assorted live ammunition, two objects suspected to be a dynamite, a charm and different vehicle number plates.

“A close examination at their vehicle indicated that the armed robbers sustained gunshot wounds as it was soaked with blood. One person lost his life.

“The command is appealing to the public to report anybody seeing with wounds suspected to being gunshot injury to report to the nearest police station.”

RSUST has not experienced violent attacks in recent years due to the security measures adopted by the administration of Professor Barineme Fakae, the Vice Chancellor for the past six years.