It had been reported how no fewer than 11 people were killed last two Fridays when dare-devil armed robbers invaded four banks in Otukpo town in Benue State after disarming the police attached to the banks.
The Nigeria Police Force has blamed bad roads and long distances for the late reinforcement of its operative to avert the recent bank robbery in Benue State.
It had been reported how no fewer than 11 people were killed last two Fridays when dare-devil armed robbers invaded four banks in Otukpo town in Benue State after disarming the police attached to the banks.
It was gathered that three police officers, one vigilante and a councillor of Otukpo Ward 2 who was transacting business in one of the affected banks were among those killed.
The robbers were said to have first attacked the police station opposite the banks and disarmed all the operatives on duty before moving into the bank halls where they operated unhindered.
It was gathered that the robbers arrived at the banks at 3:30pm and robbed the banks simultaneously. The affected banks are; Stanbic bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Zenith Bank and First Bank.
But speaking on the incident in a conversation with PUNCH, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Benue State Police Command, SP Catherine Anene said bad road was what delayed policemen deployed from other part of the state to join those within the Otukpo Area Command to combat the armed robbers.
She said, “On October 20, 2023, at about 3:15 pm, the command received a call from the late Divisional Police Officer, Otukpo, that there was a robbery situation in Otukpo that seemed to be difficult for him and that he would be needing help. He said he didn’t think the division alone could handle it.
“So, the command started mobilising policemen within the Otukpo Area Command to see how they could support them before the arrival of policemen from other areas within the command because they are far and considering the distance and the bad road.
“At about 4:15 pm or thereabouts, after pushing in men to support them, we gave them some time while men from here, Makurdi division were moving to see how they could meet up.
“Unfortunately, we could no longer speak with the DPO, his phone was ringing but nobody picked up. It was then we called other offices who explained to us what happened.”
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