Matilda Omonaiye/
Ekiti State commissioner of police, Asuquo Amba, has said that the CCTV footage from yesterday’s bank robbery incident in Oye Ekiti showed the staff taking money from the vault a few minutes before the attack.
Amba also said the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the town was lucky to be alive after the robbers attacked the police station to dislodge the security agents ahead of the bank robbery.
The police boss, who spoke today during a visit to the bank and divisional police station, said video footage from the closed-circuit television in the bank suggested that the robbery was carried out in connivance with insiders.
Amba alleged that the CCTV also revealed how the bankers and a customer, who ran inside upon hearing the gunshots, had used the robbery opportunity to stuff money into their pockets as they moved frequently into the vault before the bandits blew the security door with dynamite.
The robbers reportedly carted away over N25 million and some foreign currencies and also killed a policeman and a seven-year-old girl.
Amba said the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had ordered a thorough investigation into the robbery attack because of the close similarity between it and the one on a bank at Ise Ekiti about two months ago.
“The IGP has directed that there must be a very thorough investigation and that this mode of operation must be brought to fore,” he said.
“What baffles me is that there was nexus between the robbers and insiders in the banking premises. The Oye Police Division is about one or two poles from here. It was the first point of attack. The bankers confirmed that they heard the shots and it took about 10 minutes before the robbers arrived at the bank from there.
“Within the period, there were some activities that went on inside the bank. It is either there was strict connivance, or that the bank officials took advantage to carry out their own intention which an investigation would prove.
“Between the time the robbers attacked our men and the time the robbery took place, the staff had enough time to escape through the exit door. They were captured by CCTV moving in and out of the vault. The vault was even opened before the robbers came.
“Despite the opportunity, none of them made efforts to escape, they were stuffing money and there is evidence to prove this.
“The staff opened the vault by 3.05pm. and the robbers blew up the security door at 3.12pm., so this gave a strong suspicion that there was internal collaboration in this matter,” he further stated.
Amba said the police recovered a carton containing over N2 million that was hidden in the bank before the operation.
“The carton was hidden under the table within the banking hall. This should be part of the loots from the strong room.”
He said the robbers had during the attack on the police division used about seven or eight improvised explosive devices.
“The Divisional Police Officer was quite lucky because I went to his office, his seat was pierced. There was consistent firing. They went to almost all the offices and they attempted to get to the armoury, they were not able to breakthrough.”
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