Following a bloody armed robbery attack on a cash-laden
vehicle on Tuesday afternoon near Asaba, Delta State, on the Benin-Asaba
Expressway, the state Police Command last night confirmed the arrest of the
Cash Management Officer of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), branch 1 Asaba, Ms Amina Oyewole, the Chief Security
Officer of the bank and two drivers.
A statement by the command's spokesman, Andrew Chiamaka
(DSP), said one policeman was killed
while N25 million was carted away by the daredevil bandit.
The statement emailed to reporters in Asaba at 9.45 pm last
night said the suspects were arrested by Delta State Police Command following
an armed robbery attack which occurred Tuesday September 5, 2017 between Otulu
and Ubulu-Okiti, along Asaba/Benin expressway in Delta State.
Eyewitness accounts said that the heavily armed robbers
barricaded the highway during the operation that lasted for about 30 minutes
unchallenged, forcing long vehicles lines of vehicles on both the Issele-Uku
and Okpanzm/Asaba portions of the expressway.
It was learnt that the only semblance of a challenge were
sporadic shots into the air by customs officials from their post near Issele
Azagba junction.
The police had earlier denied any in knowledge of the
incident despite repeated enquiry by newsmen in Asaba following the incident
and alleged shooting of at least two policemen.
The cash management officer, the chief security officers and
drivers followed preliminary police investigation, the spokesman said.
"Their arrest followed preliminary investigation into
the attack which revealed that, in a bid to cut corners, the bank officials
illegally picked seven police officers from different locations, yet to be
determined, and engaged them on an illegal escort for the conveyance of the sum
of twenty-five million naira from its branch in Agbor to Asaba without using a
serviceable, secure armored bullion van as required by law. Needless to state
that when the bank officials earlier approached the Operations Department of
the Command for escort men their request was turned down on the grounds that
the bank does not have a serviceable bullion van needed for such operations.
"Sadly, during the attack, one of the police escorts
was fatally injured by the armed robbers who also emptied the twenty-five
million naira (N25, 000,000.00) into their cars- a Honda Pilot Jeep and Toyota
Corolla, Registration numbers unknown,
and escaped,” police said.
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