Onitsha—Suspected armed robbers, yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra, shot dead the driver of a car and wounded two others, carting away an unspecified amount of money.

An eyewitness told newsmen that the robbers, who operated on two motorcycles, blocked the car on Onistha-Owerri road and opened fire on the driver and the other two occupants of the car.

“The robbers then went to the car’s boot, shot at it and forced it open. They pulled out a black polythene bag, which apparently contained money, from the boot.

“They  shot sporadically towards the upper part of the road to Upper Iweke and escaped with their loot,’’ said the eyewitness, a fuel attendant who works at Masters Energy filling station.

He said that the robbery, which occurred at about 1 p.m., compelled nearby banks to hurriedly close up.

He also said that road users deserted the busy road for about one hour, paralysing business activities in the area.

The eyewitness said that after the incident, some people rushed the three victims to hospital where the driver was confirmed dead.

When newsmen  visited the scene, the bullet-riddled car was still seen there.