'THE POLICE DID NOT SHIFT THE BLAMES OF THE FESTAC ROBBERY TO THE NAVY/ARMY' - CSP LAWAL

The Police in Lagos on Friday refuted reports that the command shifted blame to the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Army while visiting the FESTAC Town banks robbery scene on Thursday.

CSP Adebowale Lawal, the Zone 2 Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), made the clarification while addressing newsmen on Friday in Lagos.

Lawal said that the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) in charge of the zone, Mr Bala Hassan, did not blame either of the two security formations while granting interviews.

“There is no basis for the allegations that the police shifted blame to the Army and the Navy that they did not respond when they were called.
“In fact, they all gave their assurances that they are ever ready to work with him to ensure that Lagos and Ogun states under the zone are peaceful.
“I wouldn’t know where the journalist got that information from because while the AIG was granting the interview, he never at any time shifted blame to either of the two.
“The AIG in charge of Zone 2, Bala Hassan, upon assumption of duty visited other sister security agencies,’’ Lawal said.

“This is because he appreciated the collaborative efforts of all the agencies in combating crime in Lagos and Ogun states where he co-ordinates.
“He appreciates their collaborative efforts in fighting crime and that is one of the reasons why he visited them to seek for a continuous support and to strengthen the relationship.’’

The PPRO also advised that journalists should verify their stories before publishing.

“Journalists should always get their facts right before publishing anything so that they don’t tarnish the good relationship existing among security agencies in Nigeria.“They should always do what we call investigative journalism. They should not just publish information without sieving it,’’ the PPRO said.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the former Area E Police Commander, ACP Frank Mba, had said that all security agencies contacted during the robbery incident responded swiftly.

It will be recalled that armed robbers had on Tuesday robbed Access and Diamond banks on 4th Avenue, FESTAC Town, an incident that caused the death of a mother and child through stray bullet.-CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY-

However, the response of the police forced the robbers to abandon N27 million, 240 live AK 47 riffle ammunition.

MOTHER AND 14 MONTH OLD BABY KILLED

They were in their home, minding their business. Unknown to mother and daughter, there was terror on the street outside.

Robbers laid siege close to their house in Festac Town, Lagos, shooting indiscriminately from a machine gun reportedly mounted at 23 Road Junction.

It was like a movie scene  as they shot their way into two banks, carting away millions of naira. Their stray bullets hit mother and daughter at Block 8, 23 Road House, killing the child instantly. The mother reportedly died an hour later because help came late.

Eyewitnesses said some of the robbers wore hoods; others were in military camouflage.

Mrs. Jane Beluchukwu-Ndirika, a nurse and her 14-month-old daughter Nmesoma, were inside their two-bedroom apartment on the top floor of their three-storey building when the bullets pierced through the door and hit them.

The late Mrs. Beluchukwu-Ndirika was a nurse at the Igando General Hospital in Lagos.

Area E Commander of the Lagos Police Mr. Frank Mba whose jurisdiction covers Festac and environs, visited the house and confirmed that mother and daughter had died.

Yesterday’s killings followed Monday’s killing of the Managing Director of the Lekki Free Trade Zone by some members of the community. 17 people were yesterday arraigned for the killing.

The late Mrs. Beluchukwu-Ndirika’s friend, simply identified as Uche yesterday narrated in tears, how mother and child died.

She said: “My friend could not get help almost an hour after she was shot, because the robbers were still on shooting spree.
“It was terrible. They took their time. I cannot even explain, I do not know what to say. But I can tell you that my best friend and sister was soaked in blood and in pains for about one hour.
“I do not live in Festac but I came to visit her and was about to leave this morning (yesterday). We have already put my bag outside and I was playing with her son.
“Suddenly, we started hearing gunshots, it was scary, I have never heard anything like that. We peeped and saw people in army camouflage and some in suit. They took their time, and were shooting non-stop.
“The bullets were just sounding from different directions. So, we hid at the back of the door. But the baby started crying and Jane went into the room and carried her.
“The next thing I saw was something that moved like fire and in a very fast speed. The next thing I heard was Jane screaming.
“She called out for help, by that time she had managed to put the baby on the bed in the room. She was becoming weak and going down, so I tried to hold her but could not.
“So, I took one of her children’s clothes and tried to stop the blood flow, that was when I saw a hole on her chest. I was shouting for help but no one could come out because the armed robbers were still there.
“I called her neighbours, who called the police but even the police did not come. The armed robbers were there for about one hour after shooting. My friend was soaked in blood. The baby’s blood also soaked the bed.
“I watched my friend die and I could not do much to help her. Please do not even talk about police because they did not come out.
“The armed robbers took their time; they were loading bullets into their guns and were shooting and discussing among themselves.
“From this room, we heard them shouting and telling their colleagues to come out first; it looks like they were just enjoying themselves without interruption,” she said.

Corroborating Uche’s story, one Mr. John Irabor, a neighbour to the deceased said stray bullets entered two other flats in the buiding.

He told The Nation that Mrs. Beluchukwu-Ndirika was already dead by the time they took her to the hospital.

“We took her to the hospital in my car. The truth is by the time I got into her apartment after the robbers left, she was already dead.

“They mounted their machine gun just by the junction here. They were shooting repeatedly. I am very disappointed with the police because I personnaly called them. I called the Area Commander and I also called the state command’s Public Relations Officer, who assured me they were on their way.

“Unfortunately, the police did not show up until the robbers had fled.

“So, I came into the apartment and alerted other neighbours; we quickly took her to a hospital on 321 road (C close), but they refused to take her in and said she no longer had the pulse.

“They told us to take her to a general hospital and we quickly rushed to the hospital at First Gate, where they issued her death certificate. We took her to The Lord’s Chosen, where her husband is a Pastor and after some time, we took her to Igando General Hospital, where she worked as a nurse.

“She was confirmed dead at three hospitals. The baby also died. It was my son who carried the baby on a bike and rushed her to the hospital but by that time she had passed on too,” he said.

The baby’s remains were wrapped and kept inside the room at the time of our reporter’s visit to the house yesterday. Neighbours and church members thronged the deceased’s residence.

It was also learnt that a security man at one of the banks raided and another resident were hit by stray bullets.

While the resident, who was in a compound, adjacent to that of the Ndirikas, was said to have had one of his fingers chopped off by stray bullet, it could not be ascertained where the bullet hit the bank guard.

ROBBERS STORM FESTAC, RAIDS 3 BANKS ON 4TH AVENUE

Robbers, Tuesday morning stormed FESTAC Town, in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, in military fatigue and raided three banks on 4th avenue in the area.

IT was gathered that the heavily armed robbers who came via the canal in speed boats blew up the security doors of Diamond, Finbank and Access banks and carted away unspecified amount of money.

It was learned that the robbers announced their presence with sporadic shootings which sent everyone in the vicinity scampering to safety. though non is reported dead, Several persons were reported injured in the process.

At the time of this report, IT could not be  ascertained if customers and staff of the affected banks were hurt during the operation.  However, eyewitnesses said that the men of the underworld shot indiscriminately while they were been chased by the Police and youth in the area as they made good their escape.

Details later

ROBBERS ATTACK AIRPORT IN IMO STATE, STEALS CASH

Suspected armed robbers this morning stormed the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport in Imo state, stealing a huge amount of money at a Micro Finance Bank located as well as in the offices of Arik and Air Peace Airlines. Eyewitnesses say the armed robbers who were well armed, came in two unmarked vehicles and overpowered the few security men attached to the bank.

A staff of Arik, who didn’t want to be named, said personal valuables were stolen by the robbers.

"We are still in shock, how the robbers could have been able to operate freely without challenge with the number of security men at the Airport. It calls for serious concern because if the Airport cannot be safe, where else can be” the airline staff said.

Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Andrew Enwerem, who confirmed the incident, said contrary to public opinion, the incident was a mere case of burglary and not an armed robbery incident as is being speculated

"We got the report that some hoodlums broke into a Micro Finance Bank at the airport but we did not get any report that they removed cash and no one was killed or wounded. Already investigation is ongoing and the two security men attached to the bank are currently being interrogated”.

ARMED ROBBERS ATTACK FIRST BANK IN AKWA IBOM

Armed robbers on Wednesday attacked a branch of the First Bank on Ibekwe Road, Ikot Abasi Urban, in the Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

It was learnt that a police vehicle that was on its way to the bank to confront the robbers, somersaulted midway to the scene, killing a police sergeant, while other policemen sustained injuries.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the robbers, said to be about 18, stormed the bank around 11.45am and carted away an undisclosed sum of money.

Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that members of the gang were dressed in military camouflage, shooting sporadically into the air to scare away passersby.

They said the robbers had an uninterrupted day as the operation lasted for more than an hour without any challenge from the security agencies.

An eyewitness, who was at the bank, Mr. Akaninyene Uko, told our correspondent that as the operation was ongoing, the robbers were seen loading huge sums of money into a waiting vehicle parked outside the bank’s premises.

“I was in the bank before the armed robbers arrived. They began to shoot sporadically into the air,” he said.

It was gathered that during the operation, the robbers kidnapped an Indian expatriate working with the National Integrated Power Project, identified simply as Zubayer, and two other unidentified employees of the bank.

Some operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Jubilee, in Ikot Abasi, were said to have engaged the bandits in a gun battle.

The robbers, however, escaped through the Okopedi waterways.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Cordelia Nwawe, an ASP, said no arrest had been made, adding that policemen had been deployed in Ikot Abasi to find the robbers.

She said the command lost a policeman to the incident.

“We lost a sergeant. He wasn’t shot. There was an accident with our vehicle on the way to the bank to confront the robbers.

“Three persons ─ a white man and two employees of the bank ─ who were kidnapped by the robbers have been rescued by the police.

“Three policemen, who were injured in the auto accident, are still in a hospital. The police are on the trail of the robbers,” She added.

BANK RAIDED BY GUNMEN IN AKWA IBOM

Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers on Wednesday raided a branch of First Bank along Ibekwe Road, Ikot Abasi Urban, Akwa Ibom State.

A police vehicle detailed for the rescue operation somersaulted along the way and a police sergeant died in the process, while other policemen sustained serious injuries.

The robbers numbering about 18 reportedly stormed the bank at about 11:45am and carted away undisclosed amount of money.

Eyewitnesses said the robbers were dressed in military camouflage. They shot sporadically into the air on arrival at the bank to scare away passersby and customers.

The robbery operation was said to have lasted for an hour.

IT was gathered that as the operation was going on, the robbers loaded stockpiles of cash into a waiting vehicle parked outside the bank premises and sped off.

The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Cordelia Nwawe, confirmed the incident.

Nwawe said no arrest has been made, but police operatives have been deployed to Ikot Abasi to fish out the robbers.

source the nation.

A POLICE MAN GAVE US GUNS- ARMED ROBBERS

The police in Lagos arrested a five-man robbery gang led by a fake policeman in the Abbatoir, Agege area of the state on Sept 28th.

The fake policeman, who identified himself as 58 year old Joel Ojo, said the guns and the police Identity Card recovered from the gang were given to him by a friend who is a policeman.

The alleged gang members, were arrested during a stop and search at about 11pm that day. Rifles, 2 pistols , a police ID and uniform were recovered from the car.

Ojo, claimed he was taking the rifles for repair, and  said the reason he had the handguns was because he was a security man and used the guns for security work, and not robbery.

He said:

“We were arrested at about 11pm for driving against the traffic. The guns were in my car and I was taking them for repair. I am not the owner of the guns. I started to use the police I.D. card and the guns early this year. I work as a security man.

“Just assist me. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Kokumo, ordered our arrest.

“We were taken to SARS. As I speak with you, I am having headache and I cannot speak too much. It was one of my police friends who gave me the I.D. card and the guns. He is my friend; he is a CSP. He had also worked as a Divisional Police Officer. He knew I was a security man and he said I should have them. His name is CSP Muhammed attached to the Force headquarters, Abuja.”

A police source told PUNCH Metro that the gang’s vehicle was impounded at the Abbatoir Police Division, while the CSP whom the gang claimed to know, has been called for questioning.

He said:

“They are actually a robbery gang. It was because it was DCP Kokumo who arrested them that the guns were discovered.

“They were driving against the traffic in the Abbatoir area when the DCP’s boys stopped them for a search. In the end, two pump-action rifles and two pistols were found in the vehicle. The DCP immediately ordered that the vehicle be kept in Abbatoir division.

“The police officer they named has been called for questioning. Everybody was shocked that he had a strong link with the robbery gang.”