Armed robbers besieged the sleepy town of Ikare-Akoko in Ondo State on Monday night and used dynamite to blow open the security gates of three banks.

Police Public Relations Officer for Ondo State police command, Mr. Adeniran Aremu, who confirmed the incident, named the affected banks to include Ecobank, Wema Bank and First Bank.

Fears gripped the residents who scampered out to establish what had gone amiss as the robbers followed each dynamite explosion with sporadic gun fires.

In the melee, five persons were killed by stray bullets but the police authorities in the state confirmed the death of only two persons.

Those who died were a pastor, two commercial motorcyclists, a security guard and a teenager simply identified as Oniwu.

Investigations showed that the robbers on their arrival in the town went straight to the police station and dislodged the security personnel by shooting sporadically at them.

The station was immediately deserted as the policemen on duty took to their heels following their inability to confront the superior fire power of the rampaging robbers.

NAN