BENIN CITY – The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on
Monday visited victims of the failed Igarra bank robbery incident
in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the state, which claimed the
lives of six persons, including three members of the robbery
gang.
Obaseki, who was in Igarra for a condolence visit, said his
administration would support the families of those who died in the
robbery and take care of the burial cost.
He assured that effort was being intensified to forestall such
attacks in the future as the state government would train a total
of 1800 youths, 100 from each local government area of the state,
to strengthen the state’s security architecture.
He disclosed that the police was studying the footage of the
Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in the bank that was
attacked, for lead to the other members of the criminal gang that
escaped during the exchange of fire with the police.
Speaking during a town hall meeting in Igarra, the governor
restated his administration’s readiness to protect life and
property of Edo people and residents, adding, “As a government we
need to critically look at the situation and ensure it will not
happen again. Our primary mandate is to protect life and property.
I am here with heads of the security agencies to get first-hand
information and ensure such an incident doesn’t happen again.”
He disclosed that he would be visiting “the Inspector General of
Police in Abuja to give us a special squad to help us eliminate
these heinous crimes.”
He further said that he has held meetings with the governors of
some of the neighbouring states on the need to form a border patrol
team that will strengthen security in our communities.
Obaseki said the state is set to launch the security
architecture which has received huge professional input, and
decried the role of the police officer who arrested and detained
some persons that were killed by the robbers, when they attacked
the police station.
He assured that the police officer would be charged to court, as
his motive was to extort money from the citizens.
Obaseki appealed to the two banks in the locality to reopen for
business promising to beef up security for their operations.
The governor earlier visited a victim of the attack at Alafia
Specialist Clinic and another victim, Obende Shakede, who sustained
bullet wound at his residence on Momodu Ajayi Road. He was also at
the bank to inspect the havoc done by the robbers.
The Chairman of Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, Hon. Don Umoro,
thanked the governor for the visit, stressing that the incident
happened at a time when the area was almost getting used to
enduring peace after the last attack in 2015.
The community representative, Sunday Mayaki, called on the
government to help fence the police station to hinder easy access
and urged the governor to help strengthen community vigilante group
to assist security agencies in the area.