Armed robbers struck at the palace of the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Farouk Bahago, on Tuesday evening, shooting two guards.

It was gathered that one of the staff of the palace who was sent to the bank to get some cash was trailed by the gunmen.

It was further gathered that the Emir was in the palace while gunmen shot sporadically to scare people away before they made away with undisclosed amount of cash belonging to the Minna Emirate.

Two of the injured palace guards were reportedly taken to Minna General Hospital for medical attention.

An eye witness who did not want his name mentioned told Daily Trust that the criminals overpowered the vigilantes in the palace after a gun duel.

Contacted, the Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident but said the intruders did not gain access into the palace.

He said a gang of about five armed robbers trailed Minna palace cashier with a Toyota Camry vehicle from a commercial bank where he went to withdraw money.

Abiodun said, “He was blocked at the palace gate, and the robbers fired some gunshots in the air, while they forcefully took the money from him and escaped from the scene.”

He said the cashier is undergoing interrogation at the Police Area Command office, Minna, with a view to ascertain the details of the incident.

Niger is one of the states with a high wave of disturbing incidents in the North Central region.(Daily Trust)