Gunmen have reportedly shot dead a Point-of-Sale operator, identified simply as Daniel, during a robbery attack in the World Bank area of Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The incident was said to have occurred on Sunday evening near Everyday Supermarket, where the victim operated his business.
Daniel, a native of Ndegwu in Orogwe community, Owerri West Local Government Area, was reportedly attacked at his duty post by the assailants.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the victim had earlier suffered a robbery incident and was still struggling to recover from the financial setback before the latest attack that claimed his life.
The source said the gunmen confronted Daniel and demanded his money bag, but shot him when he resisted, before escaping with the cash.
Another resident, identified as Philip Dike, expressed concern over what he described as a growing pattern of attacks on PoS operators in parts of Owerri.
He noted that operators in the New Owerri and World Bank areas appeared to be increasingly targeted by criminal elements.
“This young PoS operator stationed near Everyday Supermarket in the World Bank area was killed by armed robbers on Sunday night,” he said.
Dike called on security agencies to take urgent action to arrest the perpetrators and curb the trend.
“The police need to respond decisively to these incidents and ensure those responsible are brought to justice,” he added.
Efforts to get official confirmation from the Imo State Police Command proved abortive, as the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, had yet to respond to enquiries as of the time of filing this report.