ERU, Armed Robbers In Gun Battle

The residents of Pipeline Community in Paynesville City, outside Monrovia, woke up Tuesday under the sounds of sporadic shootings between elements of the Liberia and armed robbers who stormed the area at 3:30, demanding money and valuable items from the inhabitants.

According to eyes’ witness, while the robbers were engaged in harassing, lootings and beating their victims, a team of police officers arrived on scene and both sides began to exchange fire.

“The robbers exchanged offensive fire with police for about 15 minutes causing residents of the community to live in total terrors and panic. We thought it was an attack by rebel group who wanted to capture state power”, Mr. Emmanuel Massaquoi said.

He pointed out that the lethal exchange of gun fire led to the death of two men believed to be part of the robbers “but the two bodies later on disappeared. This means that the arm robbers are getting brave enough to challenge our policemen and the government should double its effort in combating arm robbers or else they will run us off our homes”, he said.

He pointed out that no community dwellers sustained wounds in the process, but the ERU were determined to chase the robbers off the community. According to one of the victims, Mr. Robert Clarke, “the robbers entered forcibly through my provision shop. They used acid water on the locks and later broke through the door connecting my room to the shop.”

Mr. Clarke said that the robbers took away over L$35000, US15, 000 and other valuable items including video decks, cell phones, and his wife jewelries. Another victim, Madam Ruth Gbah, said her husband club money was taken away by the robbers.

“All business people in this place save their money with us, but last night the robbers swept all we have, including the club money, L$$40,000”, she said, crying.