Two police officers and two civilians were killed on Thursday when robbers numbering about seven at about 1p.m. attacked a bullion van around Idi Ape area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The robbers also made away with unspecified amount of money.

The bullion van was coming from Iwo Road Area when it was attacked by the robbers who shot sporadically into the air to scare the passersby.

An eyewitness who preferred anonymity said that the robbers drove in a white Sienna space bus from where they engaged the police officers escorting the van in a gun duel.

The witness said that two police officers lost their lives while others got injured during the cross fire and stray bullet also killed two other civilians that included a motorcyclist.

The witness said that the robbers later forced the bullion van open with a gun and carted away unspecified amount of money.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ngozi Onadeko, who visited the scene of the crime confirmed the death of two police officers, saying they were shot in the neck.

Onadeko also said that the officers killed one of the robbers but the corpse was taken away by the robbery gang.

She said that the state had been locked down to prevent the robbers from escaping from the state.

The CP said that the police in conjunction with other security agencies in the state were collaborating to arrest the robbers, adding that more details would be provided to the public on the matter.

TheStar