By Austin Ogwuda
ARMED robbers yesterday raided Bank PHB at Umunede in Delta State while the Delta Commissioner of Police and other security chiefs were in Asaba waiting for the arrival of President Goodluck Jonathan for a PDP presidential rally.

The robbers allegedly used dynamites to gain access to the bank’s vault and carted away an unspecified amount  of money. The robbers killed a retired soldier and a boy during the raid and wounded  several bank customers and passersby..

The bloody raid took place at about 12 noon. Eye witnesses said the  retired soldier had  attempted to block their exit point from the town after the raid while the boy was hit by a bullet while picking naira notes which they (robbers) were spraying as they fled.

Eyewitness said the  robbers among whom were some women arrived the bank premises shooting sporadically and later snatched a car within the bank premises which they used to escape.

State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mr. Charles Muka said “we are investigating the robbery. We recovered dynamites and 90 rounds of live ammunition at the scene. Explosive Ordinance Unit has been invited to the scene. We are putting together available information which may give clues as to the authors of that robbery”.

The Police Commissioner in the State,  Mamman Tsafe had on resumption of duty expressed worry over the rising rate of crime in the state, warning his officers to sit up in facing the challenge or be shown the way out.