Armed robbers numbering about seven, attacked a bullion van around Idi Ape area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital, killing three police officers and four others, among whom was a kid hit by a stray bullet.

It was gathered that the bullion van was from Iwo Road Area when it was attacked by the robbers around Testing Ground, close to the Agodi Police Area Command.

An eyewitness said the robbers, who shot sporadically into the air to scare passersby from a Sienna bus, were dressed in police uniform.

The witness said the robbers later engaged the police officers escorting the van in a gun battle, adding: “Three police officers lost their lives while others got injured during the crossfire and stray bullet also killed four other civilians that included a motorcyclist, who tried to overtake the robbers when they were strategising to attack the bullion van.”

The eyewitness added that the robbers later forced the bullion van open with their guns and carted away an unspecified amount of money.

It was gathered that those killed and the injured ones were taken to the University Teaching Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

Commissioner of Police in the state, 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 the officers killed one of the robbers but the corpse was taken away by the robbery gang. She said the state had been locked down to prevent the robbers from escaping from the state.

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