The
Operations Commander, Vigilance Group of Nigeria, Offa, Kwara State chapter,
Wasiu Adepoju, on Saturday, said vigilantes in the state counted about 50 dead
bodies after armed robbers attacked and robbed five banks in Offa on Thursday.
The
state Commissioner of police, Mr. Lawan Ado, however, said 17 people,
comprising nine police officers and eight civilians, died in the attacks.
Armed
robbers had, on Thursday, robbed five banks. The banks included Union Bank,
Ecobank, Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank and Ibolo Micro Finance
Bank.
Adepoju
in an interview with our correspondent said the robbers took the local security
personnel by surprise. He stated that there was little they could do when they
learnt of the robbery because of the sophisticated weapons the robbers came
with.
He
said, “After the robbery, we counted about 50 dead policemen and civilians.
They shattered the bodies with bullets. They targeted mainly the heads of their
victims.”
He
stated that the bandits stormed the area and started shooting indiscriminately
with heavy guns, adding that they ran to inform the police as they did not have
any ammunition to defend themselves or to confront the robbers.
Adepoju
stated that before they could reach the police station, the bandits had already
killed some victims, including policemen.
He
also appealed to the federal and state governments to provide them with weapons
and to motivate them.
The
vigilance group boss said it would be impossible for the robbers to operate and
go unchallenged if the vigilantes were armed.
He
further appealed to wealthy indigenes of Offa to help them, saying they were
only rendering voluntary work to the community.
Adepoju
said, “This is new to us. Bandits came to Offa some years ago. After that, all
security operatives, including vigilantes, started to monitor the town from
morning till night. They came twice at a time but it was not possible for them
to operate.
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