By Jimitota Onoyume
PORT HARCOURT—A Police Corporal and a female staff of a supermarket in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, were, yesterday, shot dead by armed robbers in Umurelu Street, close to Rumuola Road.

Similarly, in another incident on Ikwerre Road, a mobile policeman and the driver of a Hilux SUV were shot dead by robbers on the premises of a new generation bank. Unconfirmed sources said the robbers fled with about N28 million.

Confirming the sad development, Rivers State Police Public Rela-tions Officer, Mr. Ben Uguegbulam, said two other policemen sus-tained gunshot injuries in the incident.

He said the super-market was moving cash to its second branch in the GRA part of the state capital when the armed robbers, who ambushed them at Umurelu Street, opened fire on their vehicles.

He said the Police Corporal and the female staff of the supermarket, who were in the same vehicle, died on the spot while the two other policemen, who were in a back-up vehicle, sus-tained gunshot wounds. The incident caused panic in the neighbour-hood as motorists and pedestrians scampered for safety at the sound of the gunshots.

The Police spokesman said the robbers escaped with the money, adding that effort was in top gear to track them down.

He said: “Some staff of Everyday Emporium, Rumuola, were conveying an undisclosed amount of cash from Everyday Emporium to Everyday Supermarket, GRA, Port Harcourt with Police escort from Operations Department.

“While at Umurelu Street behind Rumuola Junction, they were ambushed by armed hoodlums, who fired several shots into both their vehicles. It resulted in the death of one staff of the supermarket and a Police Corporal.

“Two other policemen in a back-up escort vehicle had gunshot wounds. Efforts are on to trace and arrest the culprits and recover the loot.”