Inside story of botched Bakori bank robbery
The three policemen who were serving with the Bakori Division of the Nigeria Police were posted to the United Bank for Africa (UBA) as security personnel. They were on that day gunned down by a five-man gang of armed robbers who went to the bank on that Tuesday. Reports have it that the robbers went […]
The three policemen who were serving with the Bakori Division of the Nigeria Police were posted to the United Bank for Africa (UBA) as security personnel. They were on that day gunned down by a five-man gang of armed robbers who went to the bank on that Tuesday. Reports have it that the robbers went to the bank at about 1100hrs with loaded AK47 rifle and a pistol which they used to gun down all the policemen that were on duty that day.
Weekly Trust learnt that on arrival at the bank, which is located along Danja-Bakori Road, the robbers without second thoughts opened fire on the three policemen right in front of the bank, so they could have a hitch-free operation. Side talks around the area where the robbery took place suggested that the robbers did not hesitate before getting rid of the police officers and thereafter forced their way into the bank’s premises.
Luck, however, ran out on them when other police officers at Danja Division were notified of the operation and the colour of the car the robbers used, as well as the vehicle’s plate number. The police immediately swung into action, followed them until they intercepted and killed three of the armed robbers, arrested one while the other one is said to be at large.
Weekly Trust learnt that during this particular operation unlike some past experiences where robbers robbed and got away, despite all the difficulties the police usually encounter owing to lack of adequate equipment and communication gadgets, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Danja on receipt of the information swung into action and intercepted the armed robbers in a fierce gun battle.
One of the robbers was alleged to be a serving military officer. However, this could not be confirmed as the suspect due to the degree of injury he sustained could not respond to questions posed by the press. However, the police in Katsina said it has already sent signals to military authorities to confirm the claim. He has since been taken to a hospital in Katsina for medical attention and treatment before he’ll be charged to court.
This reporter overheard a police officer telling some of his colleagues when they took the corpses of the armed robbers and the one arrested to the police headquarters saying, “This robber that has been arrested is a serving military personnel. I want to believe that he is the one behind the killing of our colleagues, because the way they were shot definitely indicated that the killers knew how to target very well.” However, an official detail on this was not released.
Also, the robber that was arrested alive could not talk to pressmen when he was paraded at the police headquarters due to the injuries he’d sustained during the gun battle with the police. The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Alhassan Usman Kimba, confirmed to Weekly Trust that the suspect is in the hospital receiving medical attention.
The Katsina State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Umar A. Manko, confirmed the robbery incident and added that the robbers killed the police officers on arrival so as to get easy access into the bank’s premises. He described the incident which claimed up to six lives at a go as bloody, while saying that the officers involved would be adequately compensated as the police law says.
He said, “Some armed robbers attacked UBA Bakori Branch and killed three policemen on guard at the bank. But on receipt of information about the robbery, the DPO of Danja Division promptly swung into action and intercepted the armed robbers and three of them were killed.”
Ironically, even as the operation seemed big, especially since it claimed six lives, the money that was stolen was too small to have caused such a huge loss of lives, as according to Police Commissioner Manko, the amount the robbers went away with was a mere four hundred and forty-four thousand, one hundred and fifteen naira (N424,115). The money has already been recovered by the police.
The danger, however, is that during the operation as disclosed by the Police Commissioner, the robbers took away the two AK47 rifles that belonged to the late officers. After they were pursued by the Danja division police officers and intercepted, only one was recovered. The other rifle is believed to be in the possession of the armed robber that’s still at large. Other items recovered by the police include a motor vehicle with registration number AA 141 YDB, an AK47 rifle with three magazines, a pistol, knives, two GSM handsets and live cartridges.
Attempts by this reporter to get official reaction from the UBA authority were unsuccessful. When he visited the Manager, Head Branch of UBA as well as the Regional Manager, who were in their offices, they both insisted that they were not permitted to talk to the press. Efforts to get to the Corporate Headquarters were equally unsuccessful as at press time. But while briefing pressmen, the Police Commissioner expressed disappointment over the non-installation of CCTV around the bank’s premises, saying that a law is already in place that’ll compel all banks to install such gadgets that could help in situations like this.
“I wondered why there was no CCTV camera and a security door in the bank as directed by the Inspector General of Police. Henceforth, banks without the said equipment would no longer be given police security,” he said.
While condoling with the families of the deceased policemen, the police commissioner appealed to the general public to report any suspicious movement and people suspected to be of dubious character to the police, adding that, “I assure the general public that the Command will continue to do its best to ensure that we have a crime-free Katsina State Insha Allah.”