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Tag: Offa robbery

  • Police attribute Offa robbery to intelligence breakdown

    The Kwara State Police Command has attributed the bank robbery and horrendous killings in Offa, Offa Local Government Area, to a breakdown in intelligence.

    Commissioner of Police Aminu Pai Saleh, who addressed reporters in Ilorin yesterday, said the deployment of criminals to the police station overwhelmed the officers and men at the station.

    He said the connection between the police and the public had been at its lowest ebb, noting that the command is deficit in Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC).

    Saleh said: “We have two moribund ones. Currently, we are talking with the state government to help us fix the moribund ones. And indeed, the government has been of immense help.

    “Scenarios, such as the one in Offa is not allowed to happen again, not only in Offa, but anywhere in the state. And as part of effort to walk the talk, we have put strategy in place.

    “Apart from physically re-organising the state’s security architecture, we have begun a complete re-orientation of the officers and men on the need to be prepared and give the best to protect the people.

    “To do so, we are repositioning our strategies, including personnel reorganisation and widening our reach. Officers have been moved from one point to the other; more police presence in every nook and cranny of the state; patrol by officers within the city is intensified on 24 hours basis.

    “Consultation has begun with relevant stakeholders – bankers, hotels, student body, selected youth organisations, traditional institutions and government at all levels to strengthen our capacity to discharge our responsibilities effectively, despite challenges faced by the command.

    “We have received assurances from the police authorities and the government to support us with basic working tools, such as communication gadgets and patrol vehicles.

    “We have also resolved to ensure that community policing is made our way of bringing service to the people, while officers and men in the

    command have been warned to be professionals and know the consequences of corrupt engagements, incivility and service impact.

    “As much as we are ready to serve with all we have, we also appeal to the people to have confidence is us, give us information and support us.”

  • Offa robbery, audacity of criminality

    SIR: Recent armed robbery operation that threw the ancient town of Offa, Kwara State, into pandemonium for hours was executed in a most daring commando fashion. The dare-devil armed robbers, who stormed the town in audacious fashion, reportedly made away with large amount of cash from the branches of Zenith Bank, Guarantee Trust Bank, Union Bank, First Bank and Eco Bank in the town. The blatant nature of the occurrence has fuelled new concerns about the state of security in the country. As it is always the case with such high profile robbery schemes, banks raided as well as residents are still counting their losses. Similarly, some of the customers that were trapped in the banks as well as other residents, while the operation lasted, are yet to get over the traumatic experience.

    Now that the dust gathered by the sad event is gradually settling down, it is imperative to properly scrutinize some of its far-reaching fallouts. First, it is instructive to stress that the Police offered little or no resistance to the robbers throughout the operation. The robbers held sway for as long as they wanted with such irritating audacity. This only goes to actually confirm what have been the fears of many Nigerians concerning the preparedness level of men and officers and men of the Nigerian Police to deal with such brazen attacks.

    It smacks of unbelievable effrontery for robbers to daringly hold the second largest town in Kwara State hostage for as long as they did. The puzzle herein is that if banks, public institutions and residents are not really assured of their safety in a place as big as Offa, what then is the lot of those who are located in places where there are little or no police presence of any sort? In as much as one understands the various challenges of the Police in particular, it doesn’t speak well of us as a nation that a gang of robbers could hold a whole town hostage for hours without any resistance whatsoever from security operatives. If this odd pattern is not frontally addressed, it portends a great danger for us as a people.

    The Offa robbery episode also calls attention to the deplorable situation of youth in the country. It is pathetic that the youth who should normally be in the vanguard of nation-building are taking to destructive social vices. Sadly, the high unemployment situation in the country coupled with other socio-political factors naturally make the youth vulnerable to several anti-social temptations. Recent statistics show that 60 per cent of the country’s population is youth while youth unemployment rate is estimated to be over 50 percent. Similarly, figures from the National Bureau of Statistics indicate that an average of 1.8 million youths find themselves in the labour market annually, out of which 250, 000 to 300, 000 are graduates. Additionally, the unemployment rate in the country is given to be about 23.9 per cent. Hence, faith based organisations, key social-cultural bodies, related government agencies and other youth based stakeholders should continue invest in the development and empowerment of the youth. This is, perhaps, the best way to preserve public security in the country.

    Equally, all stakeholders in security must not relent in their efforts in the onerous task of checkmating robbers and criminals in the country. It is only a common frontal response that could effectively forestall future occurrence of such dastardly robbery act as the one recently experienced in Offa. Public security cannot be obtained without the active involvement, participation and support of everyone in the society. With the issue of insufficient manpower in the Nigeria Police Force in particular, it is quite obvious that the police alone cannot sufficiently protect the people. Latest data shows that the entire Nigerian Police Force does not have up to 450,000 personnel in its fold and out of this a significant proportion is assigned to secure a few highly placed individuals.

    To properly address current security question in the country, we need to urgently revisit the contentious issue of state police. In-spite of all the arguments against it, the reality is that Nigeria is too large and complex to be policed centrally. If we are really serious about overcoming current security challenges in the polity, the time to embrace the option of state police is now. A viable and dynamic security system is required to sustain significant development and ensure adequate security of life and property.  The police as we currently have in the country might not be able to ensure effective security across the nation.

     

    • Tayo Ogunbiyi,

    Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos .

  • Offa robbery: We will not spare culprits – Police

    The Kwara State Police Command vowed on Monday that all persons directly or indirectly linked to the recent bank robbery in Offa, Offa local government area of the state, would not be spared.

    Several people were reportedly killed and undisclosed cash carted away from about five commercial banks during the incident.

    The command’s spokesperson, Ajayi Okasanmi, reacted to the widespread speculation that the DCO and DPO of Offa police station allegedly failed to take action before the armed robbers struck.

    He said both civilians and uniformed men linked to the incident would not go scot free.

    Okasanmi said investigation was ongoing on the attack, adding that the police was determined to get to the root of the perennial robbery cases in the ancient town.

  • Offa robbery: Hotelier, staff charged to court

    Proprietor and staff of the hotel where suspected Offa, Kwara state bank robbers lodged before launching their attack have been charged to court.

    The accused were arraigned before an magistrate court in Ilorin, for alleged conspiracy over the criminal act of the robbers.

    Staffers of the hotel arraigned are the accountant, a receptionist, a room keeper and a club house operator

    Also arraigned are four lodgers at the time the suspected robbers also lodged there.

    All the accused including the four lodgers are of residential addresses of the town.

    They were arraigned on a 2-count charge of criminal conspiracy and causing disappearance of evidence and giving false information to screen an offender.

    The police who arraigned them said the offences contravened sections 97 and 167 of the Penal Code Law.

    The police said on April 6, a team of operatives on investigation into the armed robbery attack extend their investigation based on intelligent gathering to the hotel located along Igosun Road in Offa with the view of securing information that could assist discreet investigation into the crime.

    Read Also; Offa robbery: Police arrest seven suspects

    They said the hotel staff could not however satisfactorily give account of questionable lodgers in their hotel prior to the robbery incident by their failure to maintain or keep proper official lodgers register expected to be presented to the police and other law enforcement agencies on demand.

    “Others found in the hotel during the investigation failed to give credible information to the police operatives to assist in the investigation concerning their observation in the hotel within the period in question,” says the Police First Information Report (FIR)

    The prosecutor, inspector David Wodi, told the court that investigation into the case was yet to be completed.

    The defence counsel, Joshua Ijaodola prayed the court to admit the accused to bail pending the outcome of the investigation as he submitted that the nation’s constitution presumed the accused innocent until the contrary is proved

    The prosecutor did not oppose the application for bail as he left the bail to the discretion of the court.

    The Magistrate, Mrs M.B. Folorunso admitted the accused to a sum of N200,000 bail each and two sureties in like sum.
    She then adjourned the case till May 3rd, this year for further mention.

  • Offa robbery: Lawyer donates N500,000 to victims

    EX-Governorship candidate of defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) in Kwara, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, and Ibadan lawyer Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) have condoled with the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mohammed Muftau Gbadamosi, on the robbery in the town.

    Fagbemi, who described the attack as a national disaster, donated N500,000 for treatment of the injured.

    According to him, the hoodlums’ aim is to dampen Offa’s resilience, but he said the attack will rather strengthen the ancient town’s resolve to be more united, focused and rise above adversity.

    He promised to assist with plans to provide adequate security to Offa and its environs.

    Fagbemi said: “It is with a heavy heart that I write to commiserate with your Royal Majesty, the Olofa-in-Council, families of the victims and the people of Offa over the unfortunate April 5 robbery.

    “The attack, coming at a time when Offa had enjoyed relative peace and accelerated development due to your purposeful leadership, has cast a dark cloud over Offa and the country. Offa is not just a cosmopolitan town; but home to people of diverse origin and culture.

    “Personally, my history will not be complete without Offa, which provided me with the foundation of a glorious career. As a prince of Ijagbo and an alumnus of Offa Grammar School, my commitment to the development of Offa and its environs cannot be over-emphasised.

    “In the spirit of the ancient tradition of Offa, we, as a people, shall ‘wrestle’ all that seeks to divide us.

    “In view of the above, I shall make available my widow’s mite as a token of love for the treatment of the injured.

    “Kabiyesi, the incident is most regrettable but I don’t want you to see it as a loss only to Offa town, but as a national disaster and a dent on our collective humanity.”

    Abdulrazaq, on his own part, said: “It is with deep sorrow that I commiserate and grieve with the Nigeria Police Force, the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi (Esuwoye II) and the people on the attack.

    “This attack is not the first, thus I urge the government to emulate other states by providing effective and complementary support to the police to tighten security and protect life and property.

    “I also enjoin the police to work assiduously to bring the perpetrators to justice soon.”

  • Offa robbery: Indigenes in diaspora lament lack of govt presence

    A socio-cultural group, Offa Descen-dants Union in North America (ODUNA), an organisation of indigenes from Offa area of Kwara State in the Diaspora based in the United States, has lamented what it described as the worrisome absence of government presence in the town several years after the return to democracy, saying the failure of the state government to extend its much touted security programmes to the area led to the wanton killing that resulted from last week’s robbery incidents in the town.

    In a statement made available to our correspondent and signed by president of the union, Dr. Gboyega Abdulkadir, the concerned indigenes said they are “deeply worried about the avoidable loss of human lives during the unfortunate incidents that went on for nearly an hour without police reinforcement, thereby exposing the good people of Offa to wanton killings and robberies while the government looked on.

    “It is, however, a reflection of what is wrong with our government. The people of Offa and indeed the people of Kwara State deserve better. There is lack of truthfulness, responsibility, leadership, foresight and above all love for our people by our leaders.  And until we care for ourselves and love our neighbours; recognise and appreciate hard work; reward truthfulness and punish wrongs, darkness will always prevail in the land.”

    While calling on the authorities to live up to expectation by providing security for the people of the town and ensuring that the perpetrators of the dastardly acts are punished, ODUNA urged the people of the state to stand up and demand good governance from those elected into authority. “University graduates cannot find job, no wonder some of them took to armed robbery. All our infrastructures have been destroyed or in terrible states of disrepair. We do not have good, reliable water supply and no reliable electricity.

    “Unfortunately, our people also continue to worship them. Our problems are deep and until we as a people change, we cannot organise ourselves to demand the required change from our leadership. We must take steps to force change, we must encourage good sons and daughters of Nigeria to take up leadership and force the barbarians out of power. It is going to be difficult but it is doable. Examples abound around the word. Those who would not allow peaceful change are guaranteed the inevitable,” it said.

  • Update: Police arrest Offa robbery suspects in Lagos

    The police have trailed and arrested in Lagos two of the Offa robbery suspects who took part in the deadly attack on five banks and a police station on 5 April, killing as many as 17 people.

    Mr. Jimoh Moshood, the Police Police PRO identified the two suspects as 39 year-old Alexander Reuben and 28 year-old Jimoh Isa. They were all arrested on 11 April.

    They were among the 12 suspects so far arrested by the police.

    Another suspect Adetoyese Muftau, 23 was picked up in Ibadan, while three other suspects were arrested in Ilorin, capital of Kwara state. The three were identified as 18 year-old Aminu Ibrahim, 23 year-old Richard Buba Terry and 25 year-old Peter Jafar Kuunfa.

    Jimoh also said in the update released today that six suspects were arrested in Offa, where the dastardly crime was staged.

    Two out of the suspects nabbed in Offa were caught with the SIM cards and phones of some of the victims of the robbery violence. They were identified as Azeez Salawudeen, who is aged 20 and Adewale Popoola, who is 22 years old.

    Police gave the names of the four other suspects arrested in Offa as 29 year-old Adegoke Shogo, Kayode Opadokun a 35 year-old man, Kazeem Abdulrasheed, 36 and
    Azeez Abdullahi, who is 27.

    Police said they recovered from the three suspects picked in Ilorin a Beretta pistol and 14 bullets.

    In all the police have collected from the suspects, two Beretta pistols, 20 bullets, four Phones and SIM cards belonging to victims, some of whom were killed during the attack.

    https://www.facebook.com/thenationng/videos/1762017113865419/

    According to the police, nine of the suspects now in custody took part in the robbery and attack on a police station in the town. They were arrested by the high powered police investigation team, who worked in synergy with the State Criminal Investigation team.

    ”The Police teams engaged in massive raids of identified criminal spots and flashpoints, stop and search operations, visibility and confidence building patrols, intelligence gathering which led to the arrest of the suspects. Some of the arrest also involved serious exchange of gun fire between the Police and the suspects in their various hideouts”, Moshood said.

    The police gave the details of some of the suspects arrested and their confessions:

    *Adegoke Shogo, 29 years, native of Offa Kwara State. He was arrested in Offa after the bank robbery and the attack on the Police Station. He is a drug baron and also an Indian Hemp dealer in Offa Kwara State. According to intelligence gathered from cultivated and reliable informant, he is alleged to be one of the sponsors of the robbery attack and the Police Station in Offa. He has made useful statements to the roles he played in the armed robbery.

    * Kayode Opadokun 35years, also a native of Offa Kwara State, He was found out to have been released from Prison three months ago after serving only eight months of his sentence years for armed robbery. He is a notorious robber and confirmed gang member of the Offa Bank Robbers. A Berreta pistol and six rounds of live ammunition were recovered from him. He has admitted to the criminal roles he played in the Offa Banks robbery.

    *Kazeem Abdulrasheed, 36, a native of Offa, gang member from whom a Victim’s phone was found. He was arrested in Offa

    *Azeez Abdullahi 27, also from Offa, gang member from whom a victim’s phone and SIM Cards were recovered.

    * Alexander Reuben, 39, from Isoko LGA Delta state, He is a notorious, deadly and hardened bank robber from whom GMPGs, Rocket launchers and Several Rifles were recovered in 2015, He was released from Prison in December 2017. He was arrested on the 11th April, 2018 in Lagos.

    *Jimoh Isa 28, from Okene, Kogi State. He was indicted by technical intelligence generated on the bank robbers. He was arrested on the 11t April, 2018 in Lagos.

    Police said three suspects from whom two phones and SIM cards belonging to victims were recovered have also made confessional statements admitting to the various roles they played in the commission of the crime.

    The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris in reaction to the crime, has deployed armoured personnel carrier (APC), three units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) and Anti-Robbery equipment to the state to prevent future attacks.

  • Offa robbery

    •An avoidable tragedy, which requisite investment in security would have averted

    The Offa, Kwara State, bank robbery, in which a band of felons went on a killing and robbing spree, is another grim picture of contemporary Nigeria.

    Even the best secured of countries experience occasional violent crimes. But what is absolutely unacceptable is when robbers take over a whole district; and go from building to building robbing banks and killing innocent and law-abiding citizens. That should never be tolerated in 21st century Nigeria.

    But now that it happened, in all its brazen brutality, what does one tell the families of the victims, who committed no crime other than the lawful routine of transacting banking business, in an era that campaigns for increased formalisation of the economy, to which the bank is central?

    The least the authorities could do is go after those murderous criminals and bring them to book in record time. Yes, that won’t bring back the dead; or reduce the agony of the pain they left behind. But it would at least drum the message loud and clear: never again!

    Still, as far as sanctity of life goes, even that would be tantamount to barring the stable gate, after the stallion had galloped clear. That leads back to the all-important matter of sound security infrastructure.

    But let’s start with the central police, as constituted. It is from tragedies like these that we must realise and accept how anachronistic the present arrangement is, in the face of the grim security situation. This central police are just too ill-equipped, too under-manned and too under-capitalised to pass the muster.

    Add this sad picture to sundry corruption, epitomised by “ghost” policemen, what you get is even a more acute shortfall in personnel. Yet, even the total number now is grossly inadequate.

    Radical reforms are, therefore, imperative — and that should start by creating lower tiers of policing, along federal lines. Indeed, in view of the present realities, state police should be given urgent consideration. The National Assembly should work out rigorous checks-and-balances to tackle any anticipated future abuse by state authorities, so that the police are not turned into a partisan rod, against local political opposition.

    Still, that at best would be in the medium run, since such arrangements fall within the realm of constitutional amendment, which takes time.

    But before that dawn, what can be done? That brings the issue to solid investment in security by Kwara State, the unfortunate site of this grisly and soulless crime.

    Let the truth be told: robberies, as in the Offa case, are not novel. It used to be the norm and quite routine in Lagos, as late as some 10 years ago. That was more or less the same picture, in the states surrounding Lagos — Ogun, Oyo, Osun and maybe, Ondo.

    But what changed? These states, starting with Lagos, under Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, implemented a new security paradigm, in which the state government and the organised private sector operating there pooled resources to fortify the central police, chiefly in communication gadgetry, security hardware and mobility, in terms of patrol cars and patrol bikes. The Lagos experience is being periodically reinforced, with no less than two major interventions since the advent of current Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

    The quad of Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Ondo have followed a similar path; and the result is very clear, particularly in Osun, which also shares boundary with Kwara, the site of this outrage, despite Osun’s all too known financial challenges. The question is: how much has the Kwara State government done to boost the central police, and improve the security situation for its citizens?

    That is what Kwara needs to ponder. If it has been doing something, it should do more. If the chain is as strong as its weakest link, it is clear these felons would continue terrorising the state, knowing other adjoining states have so ramped up their security cover, that they become almost no-go areas.

    In any case, it is disturbing that Kwara and Kogi states still cower under these dastardly crimes, so much so that banks in some areas have permanently shut down, for fear of marauding robbers.

    That certainly is not good enough, and it must stop. The time to act is now!

  • Robbery: Police arrest seven suspects in Kwara

    The Kwara State Police Command said it has arrested seven persons in connection with Thursday’s robbery attacks in Offa.

    The state’s Commissioner of Police, Ado Lawan, disclosed this to journalists on Saturday in Ilorin, the state capital.

    He said 17 persons comprising nine police operatives and eight other persons were killed during the attacks.

    The state government has also offered to give N5 million to anyone with useful information that would lead to the arrest of the fleeing robbers.

    Lawan said five banks and one finance house were attacked by the robbers.

    He said: We have arrested seven suspects in connection with the incident. One of them was arrested at Igosun road and six others at different locations in Offa. They are helping us in investigation.”

    “Seven vehicles abandoned were recovered from the armed robbers. Details on the injured victims have not been ascertained as they are receiving treatments in different hospitals. Some rifles were carted away by the robbers.

    “In conclusion, the Inspector General of Police has ordered a full investigation into the incident and has directed his Intelligence Response Team and others to assist in getting the hoodlums arrested.

    “The command wishes to express its heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims while also wishing the injured quick recovery.”

    In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the state Governor, Dr. Muyideen Akorede,  the state government urged anyone with useful information on the incident to contact the state police command on the following numbers (0803 739 1280 and 0803 236 5122).

    “While we mourn our dead with a heart full of sadness, and care for the injured by paying all their medical bills, we will do everything in our power to bring the attackers to justice and ensure that never again does any community or people in our state experience such tragedy,” the statement quoted Governor Abdufattah Ahmed as saying on the incident.

     

  • We lost nine officers to Offa robbery —Police

    Offa, Kwara State remained in shock yesterday, 24 hours after a gang of robbers attacked five banks and a police station in the town, leaving massive blood on their trail.

    The Kwara State Police Command confirmed yesterday that nine of its personnel were killed by the robbers.

    Seven other people lost their lives in the attacks, spokesman for the command, Mr.Ajayi Okansanmi, told reporters in an update on the mayhem.

    Unofficial accounts yesterday said the death toll might have risen to 23, including two policemen allegedly shot by the robbers in Okuku, Osun State while returning from the operation.

    Three vehicles were reportedly abandoned by them.

    Angry residents called for an immediate review of the security architecture for banks in Kwara State.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki, reacting to the incident on his Facebook wall, called it a despicable act committed by cruel individuals.

    He said he had spoken with Governor Fatah Ahmed on the development and both of them agreed that no stone would be left unturned until the bandits were found and prosecuted.

    One of the casualties was said to be pregnant. Sources gave her name as Omilola Korede.

    She reportedly went to one of the banks to lodge a complaint about a transaction.

    She had gone to the bank with her young son but both of them were sprayed with bullets.

    Three other women identified as Bunmi Mesan, Iya Muji and Mama Big Club, were also killed.

    A survivor, who said he hid inside one of the banks during the attack, was still in shock when he shared his ordeal with our reporter yesterday.

    He said: “My brother, it is not something to recall or witness. I don’t even pray it for my enemies.

    “I saw death staring at me and others. I still can’t talk much about it.”

    He pleaded not to be named.

    The paramount ruler of the town, the Olofa, Oba Muftau Gbadamosi, was lost for words when he was contacted yesterday.

    He said the destruction that came with the robbery was enormous.

    A colloquium on the community scheduled for today (Saturday) was shifted to April 14, following the incident.

    Offa community leaders spent much of yesterday discussing the robbery incident and resolved to hold a larger meeting of Offa sons and daughters on Sunday, April 29.

    Senate President Saraki said: “Make no mistake, there will never be any valid grounds or rationale behind such violence that has left many families without their loved ones – and one more community in grief and shock.

    “Last night, I spoke to Governor Ahmed to express my condolence on the lives that were lost in the attack, and we both agree that no stone will be left unturned until the perpetrators of this heinous act are caught and brought to justice.

    “It is also important that we all work together to ensure that this does not reoccur. We all must co-operate at various levels to increase the security of our communities.

    “I pray that the souls of those that we lost yesterday are granted places amongst the righteous ones.

    “My prayers and support will continue to be extended to all the affected families, and we will remain relentless until everyone who planned or carried out this attack faces the full wrath of the law.”

    The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, condemned the banditry, calling it barbaric, disheartening and ungodly.

    He urged clerics across the state to use yesterday’s Jumat service for special prayers for the nation, especially Kwara State.

    Asked to assess the situation yesterday, a security expert, Mr. Banjo Famuyiwa, said he could not understand the low presence of police personnel in the town, given its large population and number of banks.

    The Chief Executive Officer of PlaySafe Lifecare Foundation 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.

    “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 and again.

    “There should be no law forbidding banks from having their own security.”

    An Ilorin-based group, Kwara Rebirth Ambassadors demanded an overhaul of the security architecture of the state.

    It said: “This latest bloody bank robbery in Offa town has left in its trail several salient questions begging for answers, 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.”

    Also speaking on the development, the Executive Director of Community Outreach for development and Welfare Advocacy (CODWA), Comrade Taiwo Otitolaye, said Nigerians should be worried about the incessant bank robbery attacks in Offa.