Robbers kill fuel station manager in Kaduna

Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers on Monday evening attacked a fuel station in Kaduna and killed the manager.

It was learnt they went away with an unspecified amount of money.

Five armed men in a Golf car drove into the filling station, Ruma Petroleum, at Ungwan Muazu on Nnamdi Azikwe way, Kaduna South local government area, about 7pm.

The Nation gathered that after filling the tank with petrol, they brought out guns and dispossessed the attendants, the station owner, Alhaji Shaibu Abubakar, and owners of two vehicles at the station, of their money and phones.

An eyewitness, Malam Ismail Musa, said they shot the station manager, Stephen Anebi, in the head, when he said he had no money on him.

Musa said: “It was not quite 30 minutes when I bought fuel from the filling station when the incident occurred. I was still around but not in the filling station. When they came in, there were two other vehicles in the station.

‘’After filling their tank, they brought out guns and ordered the pump attendants, the owner and occupants of the other vehicles to bring out their phones and money.

“They asked the manager for money but when he could not give them, they shot him in his head. I entered the station and called the ‘Hakimi’ (District Head) Ungwan Muazu and told him of the situation. He asked me to call the ‘Dakaci’ (Ward Head) of the area.

“The Hakimi called the Divisional Police Officer, who came and rushed the manager to 44 Army Reference Hospital, where I learnt he died few hours after,” Musa said.

Sources said residents threw stones at the robbers as they drove off towards Abuja junction.

The victim, Anebi, an Igala man, hailed from Kogi State, and was married. He has four children.

At the deceased’s family home yesterday in Kakuri, sympathisers were condoling with his wife and family.

Station owner Abubakar was also at his late manager’s home.

Speaking to reporters, he narrated: “When I heard noise downstairs, I rushed down from my upstairs’ office, and I was ordered to lie down with the rest.

“The gunmen were five; they collected our handsets and the day’s sales. But unfortunately it was only my manager that they killed.

“Stephen was a good man; he was gentle, trustworthy and hard working. I just promoted him to manager a few weeks ago.

“I reported the incident to the police, and the police took my statements at Ungwan Muazu police station, and I believe the police will get to the root of this sad killing of my manager.

Anebi’s body was deposited at Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital, Kakuri.

Police spokesperson Aminu Lawal confirmed the attack and the shooting of the manager, saying investigations were on.