The Oyo police commissioner Ngozi Onadeko says the state has been locked down to prevent escape of daredevil robbers who attacked a billion van, killing policemen and other civilians in the process.

The daredevil criminals, numbering about seven, waylaid the cash-laden van around Idi Ape area of Ibadan at about 1:00 p.m. carting away with an unspecified amount of money. Two other persons were also killed.

The bullion van was coming from Iwo Road Area when it was attacked by the robbers who shot sporadically into the air to scare the passersby, a witness who preferred anonymity told NAN.

The witness said that the robbers drove in a white Sienna space bus from where they engaged the police officers escorting the van in a gun duel.

The witness said that two police officers lost their lives while others got injured during the crossfire and stray bullets also killed two other civilians that included a motorcyclist.

Commissioner of Police Ngozi Onadeko, who visited the scene of the crime, confirmed that the slain officers were shot in the neck.

Mrs Onadeko also said that the officers killed one of the robbers but the corpse was taken away by the robbery gang.

The CP said that the police in conjunction with other security agencies in the state were collaborating to arrest the robbers, adding that more details would be provided to the public on the matter. 

(NAN)