.One pregnant woman, three others dead
The Kwara state police command on Friday put the number of policemen killed by armed robbers who attacked five banks in Offa, Offa local government area of Kwara state as nine.
Spokesman for the state police command, Ajayi Okasanmi (DSP) added seven civilians were also killed by the daredevil armed robbers.
However unconfirmed reports indicated that the casualty figure had risen to 23.
There were also reports that the robbers, in their bid to escape from Kwara also killed two mobile policemen in Okuku, Osun state while they also reportedly abandoned three of their operational vehicles on the road.
A gang of armed robbers on Thursday this week raided five banks and a police station in the ancient town allegedly killing scores of people in the process.
Angry residents and stakeholders are clamouring for a review of the security architecture for banks in Kwara state.
More details of the gruesome attacks were beginning to unfold on Thursday. One of the victims of the incident, it was gathered, was a pregnant business woman, identified as Omilola Korede.
She was said to have gone to lodge a complaint over a transaction in one of the banks. She also reportedly went with her son and when the robbers came, they sprayed the two of them with bullets. She died with the pregnancy.
Three other women who lost their lives to the attack have also been identified as Bunmi Mesan, Iya Muji and another one popularly called Mama the Big Club.
A survivor of the attack, who said he hid somewhere inside one of the banks during the attack, was still in shock when he briefly shared his ordeal with our reporter.
He said: “My brother, it is not something to recall or witness. I don’t even pray it for my enemies. It was a terrible moment with death looking at us; I still can’t talk much about it”.
The Olofa of Offa, Oba Muftau Gbadamosi was lost for words when contacted yesterday. He told newsmen the destruction was too enormous that he could not say anything yet.
Offa community itself was in sober mood yesterday as it was learnt that a colloquium on the community, earlier scheduled for today (Saturday) had to be put off till April 14th, following the incident.
Also leaders of the community spent most of yesterday in consultation while a larger, all embracing meeting involving all indigenes of the town has been slated for April 29, 2018.
The Emir of Ilorin Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has condemned the armed robbery attacks describing them as barbaric, disheartening and ungodly.
He however urged clerics across the state to use the occasion of Friday jumat service embark on special prayers for the nation especially Kwara State stressing that, “ My prayer has always being seeing a peaceful and prosperous state of harmony where live and property would be adequately guaranteed.”
The emir therefore admonished residents to be vigilant and security conscious in order to curb reoccurrence of such dastard act even as he prayed Allah to console the families of victims of the attack.
A security expert and Chief Executive Officer of PlaySafe Lifecare Foundation, Mr. Banjo Famuyiwa, queried the numerical strength of the police in the community, given its population and number of banks.
He said: “The number of policemen available to the community is low given the population and number of banks. The police post is also very close to the road; there are no strong barriers, once you branch off the road the next thing is the station. Also in some countries, you allow banks to use their personal security and I think we should do the same here instead of wasting the lives of our policemen again andagain. There should be no law that forbid banks from having their own security”.
Also, an Ilorin-based group, Kwara Rebirth Ambassadors in a statement in the state capital, demanded an overhaul of the security architecture of the state. The statement was signed by Amb. Abdulrasheed Akogun (Coordinator) and Amb. Ibrahim Sheriff (Publicity Secretary).
Excerpt from the statement reads: “The well coordinated commercial banks armed robbery incident in Offa yesterday is callous, unacceptable, barbaric, condemnable in all ramifications. Our hearts are with the good people of Offa in this trying period of avoidable mishap, we condole with the families of victims and pray the Lord Almighty grant eternal rest to the souls of the departed.
“This latest bloody bank robbery in Offa township has left in its trails, several salient questions begging for answer and it won’t be out of place to demand for a complete overhaul of the security architecture of the State, as the armed bandits have severally proven the porosity and poor policing of our inter-state borders among other noticeable shortcomings.
“A visit to Osun, Ondo, Lagos, Ekiti and other sister States, will see the strategic positioning of Armoured Personnel Career (APC) in and around the State.
That is a clear show of readiness to combat security challenges as it arises. Armed bandits, violent cultist, touts and thugs have combined to hold the State to ransom in the last 10 days in Ilorin and Offa respectively.
“The Baboko, Sango and Offa incident where cultist, touts and armed bandits operated freely is a pointer to the confidence and boldness criminals now have to unleash violence, maim, rob, kill and cause chaos in the State unhindered and unchallenged.
“It is sardonic and bemusing how Kwara has transformed from being known as one of the most peaceful State in the Country to one whose jugular is violently held by criminal elements. We implore all stakeholders to rise up to the occasion and jointly fashion out a way out of the incessant breakdown of law and order.
“While we appreciate the gallantry of men of the Nigerian Police Force who lost their lives in Offa, we wish to sincerely express displeasure with the seeming virtually none response from the security operatives.
“It’ll be good to know you’ll meet atleast 10 road blocks before exiting Kwara when commuting from Ilorin to Osun. The question begging for answer is how were the armed bandits able to move freely into the State and out undetected and unchallenged?
“The latest violent armed robbery incidents in Offa which left no fewer than 20 people dead is the third of its kind in few years, has exposed our deceit of never learning from history. Kwarans have been relegated to merely adjusting to bad occurrences and moving on after the usual camouflaged and chameleonic movements of the relevant stakeholders.
“We demand the arrest and prosecution of the blood sucking armed bandits, arms mop-up, clampdown on thugs, cultist and all otherviolent groups. Above all, those arrested must be brought to book and made to face the full wrath of the law without fear or favour.
“We enjoin all Kwarans of conscience to stand up in unison to demand a better funding channeled towards procurement of necessary gadgets and other logistics for security operatives and agencies in the State and above all, we all must stop politicising security issues, it’s inhuman and more cruel than even the crime itself.”
Also speaking on the development, Executive Director of Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Advocacy (CODWA), Comrade Taiwo
Otitolaye said Nigerians should be worried about the incessant bank robbery incident at Offa town in kwara state and it’s environ.
He lamented: “It has become a recurring decimals plaguing the state. Kwara state has continuously fall prey to unchecked armed robbery. The banks in Omu-Aran Irepodun local government have permanently closed their doors to customers for fear of being attacked and robbed.
“Our findings shows that the police personnel “ran away for their own lives” in the case of the Offa incidence. The government at all levels has paid lip service to the safety of lives and property. The Buhari government to is even confused on how to go about security issues in Nigeria.
“It’s a shameless, insensitive and irresponsible government that parade herself as custodian of the security of her citizenry when it has failed from all fronts. CODWA challenge the government and security agencies to rise up to the demand for protecting the lives and property of the people.”