Seven people have been confirmed dead after an eleven-man gang of robbers attacked a branch of First Bank in Idoani, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State on Monday afternoon.
The robbers gained entry into the bank around 2.30pm by blowing off the door with a substance suspected to be dynamite and asked the workers to open the Automated Teller Machines and stole unspecified amount of money from the machines.
It was also learnt that social and business activities in the town were paralysed for several hours as human and vehicular movements came to a halt while the robbery was going on.
Residents of the town were said to have ran in different directions to avoid being hit by stray bullets.
The robbers shot and killed seven people, including bank officials, a Police Inspector as well as two customers using the Automated Teller Machine (ATM). Five other persons who sustained serious injuries are presently on admission at the intensive care unit at the General Hospital in the town.
According to an eyewitness account, the armed robbers escaped through the bush in the area with an unspecified amount of money stolen from the bank.
Confirming the incident, the Ondo State Police Command spokesperon, SP Femi Joseph, said that one suspect has been apprehended in connection with the robbery attack and investigations are ongoing to fish out the fleeing members.