Why Akure robbery operation was successful

* By Damisi Ojo
* Published Today
* News
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•Mimiko visits scene, victims, vows to rid state of bandits

Fresh facts emerged yesterday why a 15-man robbery gang had a successful outing in Akure, capital of Ondo State, on Thursday.

The Nation

’s investigation revealed that the Police Command failed to provide adequate security to confront the robbers led by a woman.

They raided four commerical banks and killed five persons.

The incident, which happened around 10.am, threw the crowded Oja-Oba and its environs, including the ever busy Olukayode Shopping Mall, Arowolo Trade Centre, Oke-Ijebu junction and the entire business axis into pandemonium.

After their operation, the robbers fired sporadically to escape from the scene of the incident and in the process killed five persons, while seven others sustained gunshot injuries.

Two out of the three victims were middle-aged women whose identities were yet to be ascertained at press time.

One of the women, who had her baby strapped on her back, was left in the pool of her blood.

Police sources revealed to reporters on yesterday that the Police Command failed to track down the robbers because the state Commissioner of Police, Bala Magaji Nasarawa, was out of the state attending the Inspector General of Police’s (IGP’s) conference in Abuja that day.

According to the sources, "It was a bad day for the entire command. The CP was in Abuja attending the IGP’s conference, leaving the Deputy Commissioner, Henry Fadairo in charge of the command and in acting capacity.

"Again, the active and gallant commander of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), SP John Mark, and his squad were away to Ore town where they were assigned to curtail criminal activities in the town.

"To everybody’s surprise, when this robbery operation was going on, no senior police officer could effectively mobilise officers and men to chase the fleeing bandits", the source added.

He described the development as sabotage on the part of some unnamed police officers within the state police command. He absolved the CP, Nasarrawa, of blame.

However, men of SARS said they have recovered an AK47 rifle used by the robbers in the banks’ operation. It was used to kill the nursing mother at the entrance of one of the banks.

The weapon, a police rifle, was reportedly snatched by the gang from a police constable attached to Fanibi Police Station, at Coca-Cola Junction, on Ondo Road in Akure, a night before the robbery incident.

The SARS team said despite their absence during the robbery operation, the team hurriedly left Ore town for Akure that morning, but was unable to confront the fleeing robbers on Ondo Road, as military personnel barricaded the Akure-Ondo Road in front of the 323 Artillery Army Barracks.

The team later chased the robbers through Ilesa-Akure Highway before they made a detour into Ilara town and escaped to the neighbouring Ilawe town in Ekiti State.

In a swift response to the incident, and in order to forestall a re-occurrence, the state government has summoned an emergency meeting of all the security organisations in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Ranti Akerele, said government would do everything to ensure that Akure, the state capital, is safe for residents.

No arrest has been made by the police at press time.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko yesterday visited the scenes of the incident where he reassured the people of increased government’s commitment to the safety of their lives and property.

Accompanied by some members of the State Executive Council, the governor, who addressed a large crowd of residents around the area, sympathised with the families of the victims.

"I was briefed on arrival from Abuja today (yesterday) by security chiefs that the incident happened in the market place; and because of this, the security men could not engage in serious shooting, else there would have been more casualities.

"The incident is unfortunate. I got briefings and sketches of what happened when I returned to Akure from Abuja today. We shall rise to the challenges. We are on top of the situation; whatever we need to do, we shall do it to prevent a re-occurrence".

At the State Specialist Hospital, Akure, Dr. Mimiko commiserated with those who were injured in the attacks and wished them speedy recovery.

akure used to be a very peaceful town

The robbery scene as described in the report is about the busiest place in that town and its always crowdy with vehicular and human traffic. Its unfortunate that the robbers operated freely and escaped.

Police sources revealed to reporters on yesterday that the Police Command failed to track down the robbers because the state Commissioner of Police, Bala Magaji Nasarawa, was out of the state attending the Inspector General of Police’s (IGP’s) conference in Abuja that day.

what a dumb thing to say.

so whenever the commissioner is out of town, the Police becomes useless?

Too bad.

And I really like Akure city, very peaceful place. I schooled there for some years.

Like Aba like Akure

mama-gee:

The robbery was possible because the robbers have better guns than the police. It's just as simple as that!

There are no excuses. . .I thik the government and the police need to stop giving all these Bs excuses and face reality.

They all suck.

tell them.

mama-gee:

The robbery was possible because the robbers have better guns than the police. It's just as simple as that!

Actually, Mamagee, Nigerian armed robbery gangs are generally armed with identical weapons to those used by the police and military, namely the ubiquitous AK47 Kalashnikov rifle, fitted with a 30-round magazine full of steel jacket 7.62x39 caliber rounds that can perforate vehicles and building walls like paper.

To offset this apparent balance of power, robbers tote VAST amounts of ammunition for each planned attack, and since all such raids are announced with sustained volleys of "warning shots", the police are given fair notice to keep their heads down for the duration of the pillage program, so as to conserve their lives, and what little ammunition they have in the station armory.   The fact that many robbery gangs are led my battle-hardened Nigerian ex-servicemen also contributes significantly to the pacification of Nigerian policemen amid a rising crime wave.

There is an over centralization of government and its activities in Nigeria.

Every time, the Governor, deputy, assembly members, police, vice chancellor, local government chairman, etc is always going to ABUJA. What is in this ABUJA that they keep going to? All that talk of hand over is just an after thought. Due to corruption most people in authority do not like to hand over lest they are discovered. All that talk of the SARS being at ore is another big lie. How can the entire men and materials be moved to ore? This country is just a huge big disappointment.

lord have mercy.