Rasaq AbdulKareem/
Phones and SIM cards stolen from dead victims in the April 5 bloody bank robbery in Offa, Kwara State, have led detectives to 12 more suspects now in police custody.
The police had earlier arrested seven suspects in connection with the robbery attack that claimed more than 20 lives.
The robbers, numbering about 30 shattered bank buildings, blew up bank vaults with dynamite and explosives, terrorised workers, customers, passers-by within the vicinity and carted away a substantial amount of money.
A statement from the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Jimoh Moshood, today reveals details of the suspects and police operations.
The statement reads in part: “The following are the suspects arrested and have admitted to the various criminal roles they played in the banks robbery attacks and are also assisting Police investigation into the incident.
i) Adegoke Shogo 29yrs Native of Offa Kwara State, he was arrested in Offa after the bank robbery and the attack on the Police Station. He is drug baron and also an Indian Hemp dealer in Offa Kwara State. According to intelligence gathered from cultivated and reliable informant, he is alleged to be one of the sponsors of the robbery attack and the Police Station in Offa. He has made useful statements to the roles he played in the armed robbery.
ii) Kayode Opadokun 35yrs Native of Offa Kwara State, He was found out to have been released from Prison Three (3) months ago after Serving only 8months of his sentence years for Armed Robbery, Notorious Armed Robber and confirmed Gang member of the Offa Bank Robbers. A Barrette pistol and six (6) rounds of live ammunition was recovered from him. He has admitted to the criminal roles he played in the Offa Banks robbery.
iii) Kazeem Abdulrasheed 36yrs Native of Offa Kwara State, A Gang member from whom a Victim’s phone was found. He was arrested in Offa.
iv) Azeez Abdullahi 27yrs Native of Offa Kwara State, Gang member from whom a Victim’s Phone and SIM Cards were recovered.
v) Alexander Reuben 39yrs Native of Isoko LGA Delta state, He is a Notorious, Deadly and Hardened Bank robber from whom GMPGs, Rocket launchers and Several Rifles were recovered in 2015, He was released from Prison in December 2017. He was arrested on the 11th April, 2018 in Lagos.
vi) Jimoh Isa 28yrs Native of Okene Kogi State indicted by Technical intelligence generated on the Bank Robbers. He was arrested on the 11th April, 2018 in Lagos.
Three (3) suspects namely Azeez Salawudeen 20yrs, Adewale Popoola 22yrs and Adetoyese Muftau 23yrs from whom Two (2) phones and SIM cards belonging to victims were recovered have also made confessional statements admitting to the various roles they played in the commission of the crime.
(i) Aminu Ibrahim 18yrs – Arrested in Ilorin,
ii) Richard Buba Terry 23yrs and
iii) Peter Jaba Kuunfa 25yrs
These three (3) suspects in whose possession another Beretta pistol and Fourteen (14) rounds of live ammunitions were recovered were arrested in connection with the Offa bank robbery. They have previously been investigated and charged to court for armed robbery and cultism. They have made confessional statements admitting to the various criminal roles they played in the recent bank robbery in Offa.
All the suspects, during investigation, confessed to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the crime, however, investigation is being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large and bring them to justice.
The Nigeria Police Force once again deeply commiserates with the Government and People of Kwara State, most especially the people of Offa and the families of the victims. The Force will leave no stone unturned in unravelling this dastard act and bring all those responsible to justice. The Force appreciates the supports from members of the public so far and calls for calm and their cooperation to sustain the normalcy that has been restored in the State.”
The statement further says: “The Police teams engaged in massive raids of identified criminal spots/flashpoints, stop and search operations, visibility and confidence building patrols, intelligence gathering which led to the arrest of the suspects. Some of the arrest also involved serious exchange of gun fire between the Police and the suspects in their various hideouts.
3. The following are the suspects arrested and have admitted to the various criminal roles they played in the banks robbery attacks and are also assisting Police investigation into the incident.”
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