A source that spoke to our reporter on the condition of anonymity confirmed the development to The Point. The suspects, our source added were seven.
Hamat Loum, the councillor of Panchang Ward who is also from Kerr Mecka Wollof village confirmed the development to our reporter.
“When the armed robbers came into the village they went straight to the compound where the shopkeepers (Mauritanians) were staying. They opened the door and pointed the gun at shopkeepers; arrested them and tied their hands behind and requested money from them,” he said.
According to him, the Mauritanian nationals were three in number living in the same house. “The armed robbers searched the house and made away with two million CFA.
One among them was later escorted back to the shop while the two others were kept under watch.”
“When they arrived at the shop they asked the escorted man to open the door, pick another two million CFA plus 80, 000 and went away.”
After taking the money, he said, the armed robbers decided to ransack goods in the shop. “They later opened fire in order to cause panic and fear in the village. “When I heard about the gun shot, I decided to call the police at Fridawsi, Njaw and Wassu and informed them about the robbery. The attack happened around 2 a.m. in the morning and before the police from Njaw arrived at the scene, it was already 4 a.m. while the robbers had already left.”
The armed robbers, Mr. Loum added, also went away with two local guns belonging to the shopkeepers. “Statements of the shopkeepers were taken by the police of Njaw. However, since the incident happened we didn’t see any of our security personnel patrolling the area. The village is too closer to Senegal. Therefore, we want the government to create either PIU base or soldiers that would be patrolling because this was not the first time that armed robbers attacked shops in the village.”
Sellu Bah, a native of Panchang village who is currently residing in Kombo, but visited the scene described the incident as ‘sad’ taking into account that the armed robbers went away with that large amount of money. He also urged the Ministry of the Interior to help them with a PIU base.
Robbers attack Jah oil in Barra
In a separate development but related issue, our reporter has been reliably informed that some robbers last Saturday attacked the Jah Oil Petrol Station in Barra and went away with D66, 569.
“In fact, some shops that were nearby the petrol station were also attacked by the robbers. The night watchman of one of the shops around the petrol station was seriously beaten by the robbers. The following day he was taken to hospital but later released.”
