Chief Security Officer of Access Bank branch, located at Okija area in the Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State on Tuesday risked own life to prevent deaths of the bank customers, staff and other personnel who were in the building when unknown gunmen enforcing sit-at-home almost entered the bank premises.

It was gathered that the Chief Security Officer, CSO, rushed towards the entrance gate into the bank building to lock the gate while the unknown gunmen in large numbers were already at the gate, trying to gain entrance into the building.

Eyewitnesses said the unknown gunmen pointed gun at him, commanded him to open the gate, waited for some minutes but the CSO refused.

According to eyewitnesses, the unknown gunmen spent some minutes trying to force him to open the gate before they opened fire and shot him at the thin of his leg.

Thereafter, the unknown gunmen abandoned their mission and left the bank environment.

The gentleman looking Access Bank Chief Security Officer, (name withheld) according to sources close to him, is currently in a critical condition at an undisclosed hospital.

We learnt that there could have been heavy loss of lives if the unknown gunmen suspected to be members of the Biafra secessionist armed group had gained entrance into the Access Bank building as there were alot customers already inside the banking hall.

Nigeria Police Force, through the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu on Wednesday in a press statement accused the unknown gunmen of an attempted bank robbery, which the police said; led to the shooting of the Access Bank Chief Security Officer.

However, the police did not mention the name of the bank that was attacked but close associates of the victim said the incident occurred at the former Diamond bank building now Access Bank along the Nkwo Okija market road.

It was also gathered that the Access Bank maybe the only surviving commercial bank in the whole of Okija. Other banks were said to have stopped operation years ago due to frequent bank robbery in the area before the recent activities of unknown gunmen that started in 2021.