By Deborah Coker
The Police command in Edo on Friday confirmed that some monies suspected to be carted away by robbers during Thursday’s armed robbery attacks on some banks in Uromi, have been recovered.
Mr Phillip Ogbadu, the State Commissioner of Police confirmed this in a phone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Ogbadu said that about N37 million and five cars suspected to have been used by the robbers were recovered at a bush where they were abandoned.
He noted that it was suspected that the robbers might have abandoned the monies and the vehicles on realising that the police were on their trail.
NAN reports that dare devil armed robbers had late Thursday evening carried out what many persons had termed coordinated armed robbery attacks on some commercial banks in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo.
NAN reports the operations according to some eye witnesses lasted for more than two hours.
NAN further reports that the Edo Deputy Governor, Phillip Shaibu had earlier on Friday paid an on the spot assessment visit to the Uromi. (NAN)
Reports say six persons were feared killed in the coordinated attack which reportedly occurred at about 4 .PM in Uromi where Unity Bank, Union Bank, UBA and Zenith Bank, all located at Market road, near the palace of Onojie of Uromi, His Royal Highness, Anslem Aidenojie Il.
A Press statement by the spokesman of the Nigeria police Command in Edo State, SP. Kotongs Bello on Friday said the vehicles allegedly used by the hoodlums including the cash, two small bags containing women items and one Union Bank ATM card, were “seen hidden in Oruen Quarters bush of Ubiaja in Esan south East Local Government Area of Edo State”.
Kotongs said the police personnel and local vigilante in the area acted on credible information, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ubiaja, mobilized his men who during the bank robbery operations blocked all the exit routes from in and out of Uromi town, together with the team immediately mobilized to the location and recovered the items.
The police spokesman said the Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Philip Aliyu Ogbadu while sympathizing with the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident, promised not to relent until all those behind the attack are bought to face the full wrath of the law.
“Today 25/02/2022 at about 0730 Operatives of the Edo state police command in conjunction with local Vigilantes accompanied by Chief John Odijie, the Oniha of Ubiaja led by the DPO Ubiaja acting on credible information that some vehicles suspected to have been used by armed Robbers in Uromi Bank robbery operations on the 24/02 /2022 were seen hidden in Oruen Quaters bush of Ubiaja in Esan south East Local Government Area of Edo State”, according to the statement.
A disturbing footage of the incident showed the masked gunmen carrying sack bags believed to have been loaded with cash out of a certain commercial bank, before the statement from the police was issued on Friday night.
Full text of Police Statement…
RECOVERY OF ABANDONED VEHICLES/OTHER ITEMS USED IN UROMI BANK ROBBERY OPERATIONS.
Today 25/02/2022 at about 0730 Operatives of the Edo state police command in conjunction with local Vigilantes accompanied by Chief John Odijie, the Oniha of Ubiaja led by the DPO Ubiaja acting on credible information that some vehicles suspected to have been used by armed robbers in Uromi Bank Robbery Operations on the 24/02 /2022 were seen hidden in Oruen Quarters Bush of Ubiaja in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State.
On receipt of the information the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ubiaja mobilized his men who during the bank robbery operations blocked all the exit routes from in and out of Uromi town, together with the team immediately mobilized to the location and recovered the following vehicles and items:
•One red colour Camry car with Reg. No. EZA 105 KJA
•One ash colour Camry Car with Reg. No. KWL 19 DU
•One dark ash colour Corolla car with Reg. No. UBJ 734 SZ
• One Lexus 330 car with Reg. No. AAA 973 FL
•One red Q-Link motorcycle with Reg. No. EZA 105 QN
•One red day long motorcycle with Reg. No. ENU 204 QL
•Two small bags containing women Items
•One Union Bank ATM card and Cash Sum Thirty four million, five hundred and ten thausan Naira only (#34,510,000.00).
Meanwhile the Commissioner of Police Edo State Police Command CP Philip Aliyu Ogbadu while sympathizing with the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident promised not to relent until all those behind the attack are bought to face the full wrath of the law.
E-SIGN
SP KONTONGS BELLO,
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FOR: COMMISSIONER OF POLICE,
EDO STATE COMMAND,
BENIN CITY
