By Desire Emmanuel
Some gunmen described as “armed robbers” by the Ondo State Police Command in the early hours of Saturday, March 28, invaded a health centre in Akure, the state capital, dispossessed workers of valuables and whisked them away before abandoning them.
The men, armed with pump-action rifles and cutlasses, invaded the health centre at Oke Ijebu area of Akure around 2:00 a.m., gaining access to the premises by scaling the fence.
It was gathered that during the incident, three persons who were on duty at the health facility were dispossessed of their personal belongings including mobile phones and a POS terminal.
They were said to have arrived in an unregistered black Toyota Venza which was parked along the main road before carrying out the operation. The workers on duty were subsequently whisked away towards the Olokuta axis along Ondo Road.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects ordered them to remove their clothing and subsequently abandoned them in the bush before fleeing the scene. The victims however found resort from nearby staff of Correctional Service,” the statement issued by the state police command on Saturday disclosed.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, who visited the scene of the incident, has directed a comprehensive and intelligence-driven investigation into the matter while tactical and surveillance teams have been deployed to track down the perpetrators and ensure they are brought to justice.
The state police command has been grappling with the activities of various criminal groups including armed robbers, cultists, kidnappers, among others, terrorising residents of some parts of the state.
Some of the arrested criminals have been charged to various courts in the state.
