A 22-year-old security guard of a private residence in Kano, Naziru Ahmad, was on Wednesday shot dead by armed robbers, who attempted to break into an automated teller machine at the ground floor of Tower Hotel.
Reports say he was trying to foil the robbery operation when he was killed.
The victim was said to be a guard at the private residence on Igbo/Aba Road in Kano opposite the hotel, which the robbers invaded when he was shot, at about 3.30am that day.
Until his death, our correspondent gathered from the elder brother of the deceased, Labaran Abubakar, that the 22-year-old late security guard had worked at his post for 18 months before his murder.
Labaran said the robbers, who were moving around the Aba and Igbo Road suspiciously met the late Naziru and asked for direction from him. He said learnt they also asked for where they could buy water, as they were very thirsty. Moments after, one of the robbers reportedly shot him in the chest.
Labaran said he was confirmed dead on arrival at the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital where Naziru was rushed to.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that prior to raiding the automated teller machine, the robbers, numbering about 10, invaded a petrol station on Court Road, Ken Village Hotel as well as other targets, within the Sabon Gari Area of Kano.
Confirming the robbery incident, spokesman for the Kano Police Command, Musa Majiya, said armed crack police detectives were promptly deployed to the Tower Hotel scene of the robbery operation, following a distress call by a resident of the area.
According to him, as soon as the crack squad arrived the scene, they took up strategic positions and engaged the robbers in a shoot-out, which lasted for about four hours, at the end of which two of the robbers were arrested, with gunshot wounds.
Furthermore, Magaji, added that the police chased after the rest of the robbers as they fled towards Bucavu Barracks but could not gain entry because of soldiers on sentry duty.
However, Majiya said that the robbers failed in their attempt to rip open the ATM, adding that the police succeeded in impounding their get-away vehicle, while also recovering an AK47 assault rifle as well as expended cartridges.
The police spokesperson said a man within the neighbourhood who was hit by a stray bullet was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is still receiving medical attention.
Meanwhile, Majiya, said two of the arrested armed robbers are still in police custody undergoing investigation, with a view to tracking down their fleeing accomplices.
While the gun battle lasted, Majiya, said the police did not record any casualty.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that Naziru has since been buried according to Islamic rites.
No comments:
Post a Comment