Govt takes stock of massive attacks on four banks, others
Auchi, the Edo North town under gunmen’s bombardment on Monday night recovered yesterday to start taking stock of the sudden attack that left 15 residents dead.
Shattered windows and doors, smashed ATM machines and broken walls were all that was left at the four banks attacked by the brigands.
Businesses were paralysed as security men cordoned off the roads leading to the town.
Three soldiers were said to be among the dead, but the police denied this.
To Mr. Rasaq Momoh, the lawmaker representing Etsako West II in the Edo State House of Assembly, the incident was a “terrorist attack”.
“I don’t believe it was armed robbery. This is a terrorist attack,” he said of the siege which began at about 6.25p.m.
Edo State Deputy Governor Pius Odubu visited the scene of the attacks and urged the police to upgrade the quality of their arms.
The gunmen attacked banks, residential houses and a police station.
Six bodies were seen at Omeme Bridge. Villagers said they were motorcycle operators who ran into the escaping bandits.
A driver with Bob Izua Motors and a motorcyclist were shot on Jattu road. Others were said to have been hit by stray bullets. Many others were injured.
The Zonal Medical Director of the Central Hospital, Dr. Jude Omoregie, said bodies were brought in to the hospital.
He said bombings made it impossible to evacuate the injured for urgent medical attention.
Omoregie said of the people brought to the hospital, one died early yesterday. He said the dead was yet to identified the dead person.
He said a motorcyclist and his passenger were shot, adding that the motorcyclist died on the spot. The passenger, a yam seller, survived.
He said most of those caught in the crossfire were poor people who were hit by stray bullets.
One of the victims, Khadijat Musa, said she was shot at on Policed Station road.
She said: “I saw them and greeted them but they still shot at us.”
She has a bullet lodged inside her body.
Six others were admitted at the JMJ Hospital.
A nurse at the hospital, Mrs. Juliana Aghogho, said she and her son ran into the robbers who asked her to lie on the ground.
She said they took her vehicle away.
Acting Commissioner of Police Mohammed Hurdi said seven people died. According to him, two policemen were shot in the leg. He denied the killing of any soldier.
Hurdi said no policeman was killed during the attack.
Deputy Governor Obudu said the robbers were blood thirsty.
Speaking at the palace of the Otaru of Auchi, Alieru Momoh, Obudu urged Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubarkar to equip the Edo State police command with modern weapons.
“Edo State cannot be a safe haven for criminals. We will spare no effort in ensuring that they are caught,” he said.
Momoh said the attackers were looking for money to finance their activities.
Rasaq, who visited the injured in the hospitals, offered to offset Khadijat’s medical bills.
He said: “They are out to raise fund for their organisation. The attacks started simultaneously at different places. It was centrally coordinated.”
Travellers plying the Benin-Auchi-Abuja expressroad were stranded as the road was sealed off by security operatives.
Many of the passengers alighted from their vehicles and took naps under trees. Others trekked into Auchi from the outskirt.
Shops, hotels and banks were under shut. Many residents were on the streets to see the destruction wreaked by the attackers.
Residents said the bandits were more than 100 and were stationed around the community. They said the attacks were carried out simultaneously on various targets.
Some of the bandits were said to be riding on motorcycles, shooting sporadically. Some were said to be on buses driving through the streets. The bandits were reportedly stationed in all junctions leading to the town.
At the Auchi Police Station, three buildings were bombed and destroyed. The Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), vehicles and motorcycles were burnt.
A police source said the attack took them by surprise as they were exchanging duty at the time the bandits struck.
The source said: “Some were praying while others were dropping their rifles. The weapons used by the bandits were more superior. Many of us ran away.”
A storey building on Warrake Road was also attacked by the bandits, according to residents, who said seven dynamites were thrown at the building but they exploded before reaching the building.
It was gathered that the bandits attacked the building to demobilise soldiers attached to the state’s security outfit, Operation Thunderstorm, who are said to be living there.
Mohammed, who lives in the building with his family, said the attack on the building began at about 6:30pm.
He said occupants were in fear as soldiers in the building engaged the bandits and repelled them.
The perimeter fence was pulled down by explosives. Two vehicles in the building were riddled with bullets.
The four banks attacked during the three-hour operation were GTB, Access Bank, First Bank and Ecobank.
Access bank workers were balancing their accounts when the first explosion blasted open their security door.
An official of the bank, who pleaded anonymity said they ran for cover, adding that no one was injured in the attack. The robbers gained access to the vault after threatening to kill those holding the key, it was learnt.
The attack on First Bank was massive, but the bandits could not get open the safe. An official said only two of them were left at the bank when the robbers attacked the security post with dynamites.
It was gathered that the bandits repeatedly threw explosives at the safe vault, which stood firm.
Some unexploded dynamites and explosives were found.
The bandits bombed a part of the GTB building and raided the Automated Teller Machines (ATM).
A woman, Iyabo Omon, whose shop is by the police station, said she thought it was an accident when the first explosion occurred.
She recounted: “I saw many of them carrying guns. I ran under the bed and one came to bang on my door. Suddenly, I heard them shoot a man. They took the chickens and other items I displayed for sale. We discovered that the man they shot was a driver with Bob Izua Motors.”
Another witness, Shaka Hamza, said he started hearing explosions at about 6:24pm and it lasted till after 9pm.
Shaka said he saw three bodies on Jattu road and a military’s body near Agip the filling station.
“I was about to go to the mosque when the shooting started. They attacked the command quarters at Warrake; nobody was killed in the bank robbery.”
