Armed men on Monday morning staged a daring daylight robbery in Minna, the Niger State capital, dispossessing a petrol dealer of about N8 million in cash.
The incident occurred near the Minna City Gate around 8:45 a.m. when four gunmen, reportedly driving in a Toyota Corolla, waylaid the dealer who was heading to the bank.
According to eyewitnesses, the victim had packed the weekend’s proceeds, estimated at N8 million, into a sack and was driving in a Mercedes-Benz when the assailants blocked his car, forced him to stop at gunpoint, and ordered him to open his boot.
“The men quickly grabbed the sack of money and fled at top speed. People shouted ‘thief, thief, barawo, barawo’ as the robbers fired gunshots into the air. Many passers-by ran for their lives, it was like watching a movie,” one witness recounted.
The stolen cash was said to represent sales made by the filling station between Friday and Monday morning.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Commissioner of Police, Adam Elleman, has ordered a swift manhunt for the suspects.
He directed all area commanders in Minna, along with the Divisional Police Officer of Tudun-Wada, to launch immediate investigations.
Spokesperson for the State Police Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the robbery in a statement, noting that the suspects used an ash-coloured Toyota Camry to block the dealer’s Mercedes before carting away an undisclosed amount of money.
“The Commissioner of Police has mandated a thorough forensic investigation to track down the culprits. The victim has also been advised to lodge an official complaint at the nearest police station,” Abiodun added.