A petrol dealer in Minna, the capital of Niger State, was robbed of approximately N8 million on Monday morning in a daylight ambush near the Minna City Gate.
The incident occurred at about 8:45 a.m. when four armed men intercepted the victim, who was reportedly en route to deposit the weekend’s earnings at a bank.
The attackers, said to be travelling in a Toyota Corolla, blocked the dealer’s Mercedes-Benz and ordered him at gunpoint to open the vehicle’s boot, where the cash—reportedly stashed in a sack—was kept.
An eyewitness at the scene recounted the chaos that followed: “The men quickly grabbed the sack of money and fled at top speed. People shouted ‘thief, thief, barawo, barawo’ as the robbers fired gunshots into the air. Many passers-by ran for their lives, it was like watching a movie.”
The stolen funds were said to represent proceeds from the filling station’s operations between Friday and Monday morning.
In response to the incident, Niger State Commissioner of Police, Adam Elleman, ordered an immediate manhunt for the suspects.
He directed all area commanders in Minna and the Divisional Police Officer of Tudun-Wada to initiate swift investigations.
Confirming the robbery in a statement, the Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, stated that the assailants used an ash-coloured Toyota Camry to execute the operation.
He noted that while the exact amount stolen remains undisclosed in the official report, the case is under investigation.
“The Commissioner of Police has mandated a thorough forensic investigation to track down the culprits. The victim has also been advised to lodge an official complaint at the nearest police station,” Abiodun said.
