Police flee as two man robbers gun bread seller down in Edo

DSP Stephen Onwochei: says his men did not flee the scene of the robbery

A petty bread seller was on Thursday night shot dead in Benin, captial of Edo state, by gunmen suspected to be armed robbers, after collecting the sum of N3,500 from her.

The woman who’s name was given as Dorcas, was shot by her assailants at about 8:45 pm along the busy Mission Road.

It was gathered that the victim who recently borrowed money to boost her business after robbers attacked her in June, was shot because she held one of the robbers on the leg and started calling for help.

Eyewitnesses alleged that a police patrol van was in the vicinity when the incident occurred, adding that, the van turned away when shots were fired.

An eyewitness who gave his name as Jeremiah, told journalists that “It was later the police came and took the body away. The police was at that junction when the incident happened.”

According to another eyewitness who said he was about to buy food when a girl and boy came with gun to rob them, said the robbers first robbed a food vendor before the late bread seller decided to struggle with them.

Edo State Police Command spokesman, DSP Stephen Onwochei, confirmed the robbery incident. He however denied eyewitness accounts that the policemen who were allegedly in the area ran away when they heard gun shots.

Onwochei explained that policemen pursued the robbers into a moat the robbers allegedly ran into.

“Our men recovered some bags and clothes inside the moat. Robbers threw victims bags inside the moat. We are still investigating the robbery,” he said.