Lagos — ARMED robbers last Sunday in Gombe attacked the Bishop of Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Henry C. Ndukuba and members of his family and made away with cash, jewelleries and some valuables worth thousands of naira in his residence at the federal lowcost estate in the early hours of the day.

The Bishop who explained his ordeal to sympathizers who visited the house, said the four robbers stormed the residence with hand guns and other dangerous weapons. He said one of them actually pulled the trigger but the gun failed to shoot. His wife was mercilessly beaten and his children were terrorised as well as his security guard at about 3pm while the robbers shot indescrimnately in the house. Nobody was however seriously wounded by the shots.

Speaking with journalists in his residence on Monday, the Bishop Henry Ndukuba who had plasters on the head and jaw lamented the activities of armed robbers in Gombe state, stressing that the operation which lasted over 45 minutes went without interruption.

He disclosed that no single arrest has been made by the law enforcement agencies even though the police claimed that they shot two robbers, which he said was not true.

"It is better for security enforcement agencies to be at alert and address the issue of incessant armed robbery attack in the state which is not happening only at the federal lowcost housing estate but almost in every part of the state on daily basis".

Bishop Ndukuba said residents of the estate are relocating other areas of the state due to the unchecked activities of robbers in the area.

According to him, "government should do something drastic to clear these increasing incidents of armed robbery," stressing that "no amount of money spent on protection of lives and property of the citizens is a waste."

The Bishop who disagrees with insinuations that the attack on him and his family might have a religious connotation as the new vice chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Gombe state chapter said even his Muslim neighbour was also attacked.

He said the security guard of his neighbour, Barrister Zerubabel was shot dead by the robbers on that fateful morning.

He further disclosed that he wrote to the governor, Alhaji Abubakar Habu Hashidu on January 3 requesting the governor to draft some armed security men to guard his residence "I wrote to request for an armed security personnel to be attached to my residence. Our safety is in God s hands but I request that you help us. I will not want this attack on me and my family to be misconstrued by some people."

The Bishop also explained in the letter to the Emir of Gombe Alhaji Shehu Usman Abubakar that armed bandits attacked him with guns and matchets.

He stated that "one of them cocked the hand gun and shot but the gun did not shoot then while another picked an empty bottle and hit my head forcing us to lie down."

Meanwhile, Vanguard in Gombe learnt that the empty cartridges used by the rampaging robbers were returned to the police by the Bishop to enable the police carry out their investigations although the bullet scars of the attack were visibly seen at the ceiling of the house.

Recently, a law enforcement personnel attached to Operation Arady was shot by robbers at about 7am on his way to Ture near Bambam on a routine assignment in the area, while a Gombe based business man was allegedly killed by robbers.