The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) of Offa Police Station, Kwara State, have been invited for questioning following the bloody robbery attack that recently took place in Offa.
Also, New Telegraph learnt that the management of one of the five commercial banks that were robbed by the bandits has sacked five of its officials.
The five bank officials were sacked last Friday for releasing the lender’s CCTV footage of the robbery scene to public without authorisation.
The management of the bank was said to have been concerned that the release of the CCTV footage without official approval was capable of affecting security and image of the bank.
In the robbery, at least 30 people, including nine policemen, were killed and undisclosed cash carted away from the five commercial banks.
The Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ajayi Okasanmi, said that the command was investigating all aspects of the robbery and that both civilians and uniformed men linked to the incident would not go free.
A new police commissioner, Aminu Pai Saleh, was posted to the state last week.
Okasanmi’s comments came against the backdrop of wide speculation that the DCO and DPO of Offa Police Station, where the robbery took place, allegedly failed to take action before the armed robbers struck.
The station was alleged to have received tip-off about the robbers, while they were lodging and planning their operation in the hotel, but the senior policemen allegedly failed to act.
The two senior policemen were further suspected after it was discovered that nine policemen were killed in the station, while the robbers allegedly collected only the phones of the DCO and DPO and then asked them to go in peace.
When asked about the whereabouts of the two officers, Okasanmi said: “Investigation is already going on. So, whether civilian or police, whoever is found culpable would be dealt with accordingly.”
So far, 21 suspects, including 12 primary suspects, one hotel proprietor, four staff of the hotel and four lodgers, had been arrested in connection with the Offa robbery.
The hotel owner, the staff and the lodgers were arraigned at Ilorin Magistrate Court last week, while the 12 primary suspects paraded at the Force headquarters, Abuja, are yet to be arraigned.
Meanwhile, Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has challenged Saleh, to tackle insecurity and criminality in the state as well as maintain law and order.
Ahmed said that he would not relent in his efforts to ensure that security challenges in the state were properly addressed.
The governor, who spoke during the visit by the new police boss to the Government House, Ilorin, said that the current security trends in the country require proactive measures to combat problems such as robbery, herdsmen/farmers clashes, cultism and communal clashes arising from boundary disputes.
He added: “We want you to champion the cause of community policing which will involve all and sundry. We have alerted our traditional rulers that they should also carry on advocacy and the need to strengthen community policing at the local government levels with Divisional Police Officers.”
.new telegraph
