No fewer than seven persons on Monday were feared dead in a bank robbery which lasted for an hour in Ido-Ani, headquarters of Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The robbers who attacked a branch of the First Bank Plc in the town, also carted away an undisclosed amount of money.
The robbers, it was gathered, drove a Sports Utility Vehicle to the bank and went straight to the banking hall, causing serious tension within the bank premises.
Sources in the town revealed that five officials of the First bank and two customers were killed by the robbers, while one of the robbers was also shot dead by the police.
Besides, many customers and officials of the bank were beaten to a pulp by the robbers, while efforts to avert the robbery by the police failed.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state police command, Mr Femi Joseph, who confirmed the incident said he could not give details of the incident yet.
However, it was learnt that the armed bandits numbering six shot sporadically into the air when they stormed the town apparently to scare the people after which they moved to the bank.
Police officers were said to have done their best to prevent the robbery but they could not over power the robbers.