There was palpable tension yesterday at Ise/Orun/Emure Ekiti
as armed robbery operation in one of the towns was mistaken for a
terrorist attack on the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) orientation
camp.
The robbers, who stormed Orun Ekiti, with the
intention of robbing a wholesale beer distributor in the town had their
attempt foiled by some security men and youths.
The armed robbery
attempt caused panic in the town as people were said to run for cover
as they erroneously believed that they were terrorists.
News that
terrorists had invaded the NYSC Orientation Camp located in
Ise-Orun/Emure communities later spread into the towns.
The
apprehension became tense when the incident was placed on the facebook,
twitter and other social media that terrorists had invaded Ekiti.
An
eyewitness report had it that when the armed robbers had their attempt
foiled, they started shooting sporadically into the air to scare people
away and pave way for their escape from the town.
They were said
to have hijacked a Toyota vehicle from a motorist and fled the scene.
But the police, who were said to have been alerted by the sporadic
shooting, were said to have trailed them towards Emure/Akoko side, where
the robbers abandoned the car and fled into the bush.
The public
relations officer of the state police command, Mr Victor Olu Babayemi,
confirmed that the vehicle was recovered and that one of the robbers was
shot during a gun-duel with the police.
In a statement made
available to newsmen, the state commissioner of police, Mr Sotonye
Wakama, dispelled the rumour of terror attack.
The statement
reads in part, “The attention of the command has been drawn to the news
making the rounds that Ekiti State NYSC orientation camp was attacked by
an extremist group. We wish to state categorical that the news is
false.
There was no attack or attempted attack by any group on
the orientation camp.
“However, the news may have originated
from the attempted armed robbery attack at the premises of known beer
wholesaler in Orun-Ekiti, a town of about one and a half kilometres from
the camp.
“The armed robbery was, nevertheless, foiled when a
distress call sent to the police was promptly responded to. The armed
robbers on sighting the police opened fire and were engaged in a gun
duel as a result of which one of them was shot. Others later abandoned
some of their arms and fled into the bush.
“Two locally made
double-barrel guns and a car were recovered from the scene. Detectives
are on the trail of the hoodlums with a view to get them arrested and
bring them to justice. This incident has nothing to do with the NYSC
orientation camp.
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