The commercial town of Offa in Kwara State was enveloped by anguish yesterday following a deadly armed robbery attack on banks which left many policemen, residents and bank workers dead.
A resident of the town who spoke to COMPLETE NEWS narrated how the dare-devil robbers stormed the town in a broad day like an action packed thriller.
According to her, the heavily armed men of the underworld attacked police stations killing policemen on duty before proceeding to the banks to rob.
She said, “ Osun State has about 6 Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs). One each in towns like Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Ikirun, Ilesha, Ede, and Ejigbo. That’s Osun State. What has Kwara, how many and where are they?
“His Royal Majesty, the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II has asked the State Government for at least APC since last attack but up till now,…. Here we are.
“The armed robbers started operation around past 4pm and drove away at about 5:35pm.
“I can personally confirm that 3 dead in Zenith Bank area (staff & Police officer): no casualty in GTB, First Bank, and Union. 2 dead in ECO BANK area, 2 civilian dead bodies one in front of Post Office, another in front of Roman Catholic Church and about 10 dead bodies in various offices within Owode Police Station (civilians and police officers inclusive).
“The robbers operated on a total number of 5 banks within 70 minutes. We are still counting our loses. I am lost in thought”.
The Divisional Police Office, DPO of the station was said to have escaped death by whisker while passerbys and innocent residents including bank workers were mauled down in cold blood.
Deadly bank robberies in Offa, the second commercially city after Ilorin have been a recurring tragic occurence in the last two years.
A lecturer in Federal Polythecnics, Offa who didnt wanted his name in print told this newspaper that the same unfortunate commando-style robbery occurred in the town two years ago.
He said, ” It is unfortunate that security forces cannot stem this ugly development. Two years ago, the same mass robbery happened that left many people dead. They usually invade the town in large numbers and over-power the policemen on duty before unleashing terror on the banks and innocent residents in the town”.
Atleast, no fewer than 50 people feared dead, an eye witness has said. The robbers attacked about four new generation and old generation banks.
