Following last week’s bloody armed robbery attacks on some banks in Offa, Kwara State and the killing of about 17 persons including Police officers, 8 Principal Suspects in connection with the Bank Robbery have been arrested.
Also, 12 Suspects directly responsible for the recent killings in Donga and Bali Local Government Areas of Taraba State have also been arrested by the Police.
The arrest of the suspects followed the deployment of 3 MOPOL Units separately to Kwara State and Taraba states as well as high Powered Investigation Teams to beef up security, prevent further attacks, arrest perpetrators of both the Offa Bank Robbery in Kwara, recent killings in Taraba.
During the operations in the two states, the police recovered 7 AK47 rifles, 4 locally made revolver pistols and 30 rounds of AK47 ammunition, 7 operational vehicles of the armed robbers in the 2 Incidents.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police has placed Commissioners of Police and Police personnel nationwide on red-alert while directing a 24 hours intelligence gathering and crime prevention/police visibility patrol of crisis spots, flash points and other crime vulnerable scenes in their commands throughout the country.
A statement from Force headquarters signed by ACP Jimoh Moshood said, “IGP Ibrahim Idris concerned with the Banks Robbery attack in Offa, Kwara State on Thursday, 5th April, 2018 and the recent killings on 4th & 7th April, 2018 in Donga and Bali Local Government Areas of Taraba State that resulted in the loss of innocent lives, carting away of huge sums of money and destruction of properties worth millions of Naira in the two (2) states, the IGP ordered deployment of three (3) Police Mobile Force Units, high powered police investigation team.
Also deployed were armoured personnel carrier (APC) with ten (10) crew members and anti-robbery equipment to Kwara State and three (3) additional Police Mobile Force units to Taraba State to beef up security in the two (2) states, prevent further attacks, arrest perpetrators and carryout discreet investigation into the Offa Banks robbery in kwara state and recent killings in Donga and Bali LGAs of Taraba state.
“The deployments which have arrived the two (2) States will cover Offa LGA and its environ and other vulnerable points in Kwara State, while the deployment of the 3 Police Mobile Force (PMF) in addition to the Five (5) PMF units recently deployed to Taraba State will cover Donga, Bali, Lau, Gassol, Karim Lamido LGAs and other flash points in the State.
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The Police teams will carry out intelligence gathering, raids of identified criminal spots/flashpoints, stop and search operations, visibility and confidence building patrols, arrest of perpetrators and further investigation into the incidents.
“Furthermore, the immediate intervention and preliminary investigation carried out by the high-powered police investigation team deployed by the IGP working in synergy with the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department in the 2 Commands resulted in the arrest of 8 principal suspects in connection with the Offa Bank Robbery and 12 suspects directly responsible for the recent killings in Donga and Bali Local Government Areas of Taraba State.
“Also recovered were Seven (7) AK47 Rifles, Four (4) locally made Revolver Pistols and Thirty (30) Rounds of AK47 Ammunition, Seven (7) Operational Vehicles of the Armed Robbers and assailants in the Two (2) Incidents.
ACP Moshood said, “In Donga and Bali LGAs attacks, the following 8 suspects were arrested for being part of those responsible for the killings of innocent people.
They have confessed and admitted to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the crime and will be arraigned in court on completion of investigation.
They are Ali Runo, Hassan Ruwo, Chindo Umoru, Yinusa Usman, Shittu Usman, Tervesee John, Terse Joseph, Victor Madu, Theophilos Ajee, Hasama George, Tervise Boniface and Tijie Evarso
“Regarding the Offa incident where nine (9) Policemen and eight (8) other persons were killed, the names of the seven (7) suspects and the additional one (1) suspect bringing to eight (8) suspects were arrested in connection with the incident.
The police said the names of the suspects who have admitted to the various criminal roles they played in the banks robbery attacks, are being with-held because they are assisting Police investigation into the incident but will be disclosed after the arrest of the remaining suspects and completion of investigation into the crime.
“While the Nigeria Police Force deeply commiserates with the Governments and People of Kwara and Taraba States over the recent killings, the force calls for calm and support for the police personnel deployed to sustain the normalcy that has been restored in the affected States”.
“The Force implores the people to be vigilant and security conscious. They should promptly report suspicious acts or persons to the nearest Police detachment or station for prompt action to avert untoward incidents”, the Force PRO said.
ACP Jimoh Moshood
Force Public Relations Officer,
Force Headquarters, Abuja.
