By Okafor Ofiebor /Port Harcourt
Detectives, anti-robbery and other tactical units of the Rivers State Police Command are now on manhunt for robbers who allegedly burgled and empty an Automated Teller Machine, ATM, at the motor park in Rivers State University, Port Harcourt of its cash content.
According to eyewitnesses, the armed robbers dressed Nigeria Police uniform and fully armed with dangerous weapons like explosives operated without resistance from the security operatives stationed at the school’s Main Gate or Police.
It was learnt that the hoodlums allegedly ordered the School security personnel on duty to open the gate. From there, the armed men went straight to the Polaris Bank, tied up the shuttle drivers who slept at the park as well as the security personnel guarding the ATM before breaking into it to loot the cash content.
It was also gathered that after the more than an hour operation, the gunmen hijacked one of the Campus shuttle buses belonging to one of the drivers who slept at the park to cart their loot away.
The management of Polaris Bank, the owner of the ATM, has not reacted to the daredevil robbery incident as at the time of filing in this story.
Also, the amount of money that was lost to the robbers in the ATM burglary is yet to be known.
Observers are however wondering how a robbery operation of such magnitude could happen at the ATM Machine located close to the University gate without a challenge from the Divisional Police Station that is just a stone throw away.
SP Nnamdi Omoni, the Rivers State Police Command Spokesman confirmed the incident but did not give details.
Recall that a shootout at the University led to the death of a final year student last week.
Police claim that the shooting was cult related.