The Imo State Police Command over the weekend  foiled large-scale robbery attempt at the Ikenegbu area of Owerri, Imo State.

The robbers stormed a multi-billion naira gold shop, known as, Goldwise Wisdom Gold Stores, located within Inels Stores, ikenegbu, opposite kilimanjaro.

Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that upon arrival, the criminals who operated in a white Toyota Hilux van, wearing military uniforms and were heavily armed, quickly moved into the shop and started parking golden items worth millions of naira and were said to be on their way out before a vigilant policeman whom accompanied an unidentified personality to take his launch at a nearby eatery suspected foul play and opened fire on them.

The five man gang immediately returned the fire and started shooting indiscriminately causing stampede and people immediately closed their shops and ran for their safety.

The policeman’s bullets caught up with the driver of the gang’s vehicle and he died instantly, thus puncturing their easy escape 

His gang members quickly disembarked from the Hilux and started running, while shooting in the air sporadically.

Police reinforcement from the command headquarters quickly arrived, leading to the arrest of two of the criminals, while the others escaped.

The gold items they stole were immediately recovered from them.

Parading the dead suspect and the two arrested hoodlums the police spokesman in the state, Henry Okoye, said that the state Commissioner of police, Muhammed Berde, was grateful to the operatives who foiled the attack and caught the suspects.

Okoye gave the names of the suspects as Peter Gaura, 27, from Kogi State, whom he described as a dismissed solider and Promise Joshua, 25, from Delta State.

Joshua when interviewed said that he works as a bouncer at a popular hotel newly opened in Owerri.