A 55-year-old Russian woman, Angelina Gold, recounted a harrowing experience on Friday, June 14, when she was robbed of $3,500 shortly after withdrawing the money from a Zenith Bank branch in Lagos.
Gold suspected that someone might have seen her receive the money in the bank or that bank employees at the Isaac John Street branch in GRA Ikeja were leaking information to robbers.
She was shot in the foot by a lone robber in her compound at Oba Akinjobi GRA Ikeja when she hesitated to hand over the money. The robbery occurred less than three hours after her bank transaction.
“On Friday (June 14, 2024), my daughter and I went to Zenith Bank on Isaac John Street to collect dollars for a trip to my country with my grandson.
It was $3,500. Two days before, we informed the bank of our intention to withdraw the dollars. Afterward, we visited Oasis and Ebeano supermarket. On our way home, my daughter noticed a man we had seen earlier at the Cubana bus stop following us. We didn’t think much of it,” Gold narrated.
Upon arriving home, the man approached Gold in her compound, claiming he was there for the dollars she withdrew and that he was an armed robber.
He pointed a gun at her daughter and grandson. When she tried to protect them, he shot her in the foot and took the money.
Shocked by the incident, Gold questioned how the robbery could happen so soon after leaving the bank without disclosing their movements to anyone. She suspected it wasn’t a random robbery.
“I suspect an insider in the bank because we never told anyone we were going to the bank. Zenith Bank was carelessly handing out dollars openly in the hall. This can trigger robberies. Our neighborhood in GRA Ikeja hasn’t had armed robberies in years. The security needs to be checked. Banks should stop giving dollars openly in the hall,” she said.
Gold reported the incident to the police and returned to the bank to lodge a complaint but found it closed. The Sallah holidays further delayed her attempt to contact the bank.
I tried calling the bank since it happened around 3 pm, but by the time we went to the police and I was taken to the hospital, the bank had closed. I have to return to Russia on Monday (June 17, 2024) without money and with a bullet wound. I even spoke to Zenith’s owner, Jim Ovia, so I believe the top hierarchy knows about this incident,” she added.
Gold lodged a complaint with CSP Oke, the Divisional Police Officer at Area F Police Station. The police provided escorts for her hospital visit and her departure to the airport.
“Unfortunately, there’s not much more that can be done. If I can get my money back and the culprit arrested, that would be great. At least my grandson and daughter were not harmed,” she stated.
She suggested the robber might be a trained security operative based on his actions, recalling her experience training special forces in 2014.
When contacted, the DPO declined to discuss the matter over the phone. However, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the report, noting the police’s swift response and ongoing investigation.
Hundeyin questioned how the robber gained access to the compound without confrontation, leading to the detention of the security guards. The police have written to the bank and expect responses from involved employees after the Sallah holidays.
“The DPO has written to the bank to speak with the manager, teller, and anyone aware of the withdrawal. It’s strange the gunman followed her and specifically demanded the money she withdrew. The bank manager will provide a statement, and the security guards are in detention. The woman said she’s going to Russia to buy a property this week, otherwise, the price will go up,” Hundeyin explained.
Ayoola Kushimo from Zenith Bank’s corporate communications stated that Gold needed to lodge an official complaint with the bank for them to act, which might not happen until after the holidays.
“The case is new to me. The woman must lodge an official complaint first. If she did so on Friday, she might not get a response until Wednesday (June 19, 2024), after the Sallah holidays,” Kushimo said.
Peoplesmind
