A four-man gang of armed robbers on Friday attacked a lone driver in a Sienna car and made off with millions of naira in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.
The masked robbers fired sporadically to scare onlookers while they snatched several cash bills from the victim.
The incident occurred around 11:00 am on Murtala Muhammed Way, just opposite the Vanguard newspaper office.
Eyewitnesses said the masked gunmen who allegedly followed the victim to the scene arrived in an ash-colored Toyota Corolla with a faded license plate.
The gang reportedly opened fire on the victim’s gray Toyota Sienna, marked AA 693 GT, deflating two left tires and forcing the driver to stop.
Three masked assailants then exited the Corolla, while a fourth remained behind the wheel, ready for a quick getaway.
The robbers reportedly fired several shots into the air to scare bystanders, causing residents and passersby to flee for safety.
However, stray bullets struck the driver of the Sienna in the arm and pierced both the front and rear windshields, as well as the body of the vehicle.
“They packed boxes full of money from the Toyota Sienna into their Corolla before speeding off,” a witness said.
Another witness lamented the absence of security personnel during and after the attack and said that no police were seen at the scene during the entire incident.
A journalist, Elder Stephen Oni, The New Telegraph’s Kwara State correspondent, was injured while trying to escape the gunfire.
When contacted for comment, the state Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, confirmed the development.
He said: “I have been informed and we are working to get the boys involved.”