Gunmen kill phone accessories dealer

 Dare-devil gunmen suspected to be armed robbers  Tuesday night allegedly shot and killed a yet-to-be identified business man based at Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, near the commercial city of Onitsha.

The incident, according to eye-witnesses, occured at about 8.30 p.m. when the bandits allegedly stormed the phone accessories shop at the popular Nkpo Junction by Obosi Road.

According to the source, on arrival at the shop, the robbers discovered that the iron rod protector at the victim’s shop  was locked up, while the victim and his sales girls were inside rounding up their business for the day.

It was gathered that the robbers allegedly ordered him to open the iron protector to enable them gain entrance into the shop or have himself to blame.

It was further gathered that while the victim was still looking for an escape route, the men of the underworld numbering about six and who were said to have operated on three motorcycles, started shooting indiscriminately into the air ostensibly to scare people away as this also enabled them hacked the iron rod protector and allegedly pumped  bullets into the victim’s  body before carting away unspecified sum of money from the shop.

Sources said the sound of their gun caused stampede at Nkpor junction, the scene of the incident which served as a mini market, even as petty traders abandoned their wares and fled the scene.

Some courageous passerby rush the victim to a nearby hospital where he was said to have died on the way before getting to the hospital, barely 30 minutes after the robbers had left.

One of the eye-witnesses who spoke on the matter, declared: “I was among those who lost our personal effects during a stampede brought about by the robbery incident, as a result of the heavy shootings, adding, ironically, last night, there was no usual presence of the police or local vigilance groups that normally patrol the notorious junction to scare bandits from any robbery intention”.

When newsmen visited the scene, the victim’s shop and that of other shops along the same line were under lock and key and deserted for fear of possible police arrests.

Efforts made by this reporter to get detailed report of the incident from the victim’s neighbours hit the rock as they distanced themselves from the scene and declined to make any comment.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka said it was a robbery incident and not assassination case, as speculated by some passersby, adding that the victim died on his way to the Crown Hospital, Nkpor-Uno.

He however noted that investigation into the matter had begun in earnest, with a view to fishing out the fleeing perpetrators of the dastardly act and bringing them to book.