Fresh information has emerged regarding the robbery that occurred on Friday, targeting several commercial banks in Otukpo town, Otukpo LGA, Benue State.
The incident has left the city’s residents in shock.
One resident of the town told newsmen on Friday night, “We haven’t witnessed something like this in Otukpo for a very long time.”
Newsmen learnt that the audacious bank robbers, armed with assault rifles and other dangerous weapons, carried out a well-coordinated attack on four banks in Otukpo, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, including three police officers.
An anonymous eyewitness reported that the robbers arrived at the banks around 4:30 pm in two Hilux vehicles and another smaller car, and their robbery spree lasted approximately an hour.
The eyewitness stated that the robbers shot and killed police officers as well as a councillor who happened to be conducting business in one of the targeted banks.
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According to another eyewitness, the robbers had attacked the Otukpo Police Station prior to their bank robbery, firing indiscriminately and disarming all the policemen before proceeding with their criminal operation.
The incident caused panic in the traditional headquarters of the Idoma nation, with residents, particularly traders, seen fleeing to safety.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP. Catherine Anene, in a statement, also confirmed that five banks were robbed simultaneously.
Anene added that in a hot pursuit of the outlaws afterwards, security operatives gunned down two of the armed robbers while still on the trail of other who abandoned their vehicle and ran into the bush along Otukpo – Taraku axis.
“On 20/10/2023 at about 1615hrs, armed robbers invaded Access, First, Zenith, UBA and Stanbic bank Otukpo simultaneously.
“The Otukpo Divisional Police Officer, CSP. John Adikwu and other Police teams in the area engaged them in a gun dwell but were unable to prevent their attack on the banks.
“More police teams in collaboration with other security agents have been deployed to Otukpo to assist in stabilising the area and prevent these robbers from escaping.
“The robbers who were intercepted along Otukpo-Taraku road engaged officers in a gun duel and two of the robbers died in the process. Other gang members abandoned their vehicles and escaped into the forest area and are been chased by the police.
“The DPO who sustained a gunshot injury on his stomach and three other police officers have been confirmed dead at the hospital. Other persons who sustained injuries in the bank have been moved to the hospital for treatment,” the PPRO explained.
She noted that investigation into the matter had commenced but however silent on the number of civilians killed during the robbery incident
Meanwhile, one of the military personnel who engaged the armed robbers on their escape route confided that security couldn’t do much in engaging the daredevils while the illicit operation went on because of the crowd of innocent people at the scene.
“We waited for them on their escape route and engaged them, they had to abandon their vehicle towards Taraku town. We pursued them into the bush and fell two of them. We apprehended one alive.”
Meanwhile, Governor Hyacinth Alia, has condemned the armed robbery attacks on some commercial banks in Otukpo town.
Alia in a statement by his spokesman, Tersoo Kula, described the robbery incident as an affront on the state, especially that it took place at the exact time the security Council meeting was in progress at Government House in Makurdi.
The governor sympathize with the families of those who were gruesomely murdered by the robbers during the robbery.
He said, “It is an unfortunate development that people who were on duty, especially police officers, were shot and killed in cold blood by those mindless robbers.
“But they cannot get away with this. Already, security agencies are on their trail and must apprehend and bring them to justice”.
Alia therefore called on the people of the state to be vigilant and always endeavour to report suspicious movements around them all the time.
