Inside story of Misau’s twin robberies
The robbery operations make a total of nine of such attacks on banks and police stations across the state. Unknown gunmen had attacked a bank and Police stations in Toro, Alkaleri, Gamawa, and Darazo. They attacked police stations in Bulkachuwa and Dutsen Tanshi. police stations in Bauchi town had also witnessed two of such attacks. […]
The robbery operations make a total of nine of such attacks on banks and police stations across the state. Unknown gunmen had attacked a bank and Police stations in Toro, Alkaleri, Gamawa, and Darazo. They attacked police stations in Bulkachuwa and Dutsen Tanshi. police stations in Bauchi town had also witnessed two of such attacks. Misau was also not new to such attacks as it had occurred twice before.
The incessant attacks prompted the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim, to act promptly by directing the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja , to take over investigation of the suspects arrested after they attacked a microfinance bank and a police station in Gamawa .
Weekly Trust observed during a visit to Misau a day after, heavy presence of security personnel parading the street, while staff of the bank were seen trying to pick up pieces. The doors of the bank were shut to customers. It was even gathered that officials from the headquarters of the bank in Lagos were on ground to assess the extent of the robbery.
Witnesses told Weekly Trust that the gunmen numbering over 30 invaded the town in commando-like fashion and started shooting sporadically into the air. They were said to have then headed straight for the Divisional Police Headquarters in the town, where they hurled four explosives before going to the branch of Mainstream Bank, formerly Afribank, which they robbed, carting away about N19.2 million.
Weekly Trust learnt that four policemen were killed at the station during an exchange of fire with the bandits. Police also lost personnel when the fleeing robbers threw an explosion on sighting a detachment of the force on re-enforcement, from Azare, who were waiting in ambush.
It was gathered that a 45-year-old businessman, Musa Baba, was also killed during the operation. Another civilian died Tuesday in the hospital where he was taken for treatment after sustaining gunshot wounds.
In her account of the incident, 60 year-old Aisha Ali, who operates a restaurant close to the affected bank, told Weekly Trust that she has never witnessed such an occurrence. “I was preparing food here with some of my neighbours when we heard gunshots everywhere. We ran into our rooms and did not come out again until when we were sure that the robbers had left. Musa just finished eating food here before he was killed,” she said.
Another eyewitness, Abdullahi Dankobe, who said he was a street sweeper, said he was at the AD Rufa’i Roundabout leading to the police station when he saw about 20 men shooting towards the bank, adding that, “I saw them firing shots at Musa. The bullet hit him on the cheek and shoulder and he fell down.”
A shop-owner near the scene, Abdullahi Mohammed said: “I just came back from the market trying to arrange the goods I brought in my shop when I heard gunshots which I initially thought were accidental discharge. But when I saw people running, I had no other option than to join in.”
Late Musa’s uncle, Isa Saidu, told Weekly Trust he was home when he heard the gunshots. “It was later that we learnt that Musa was shot during the operation. We rushed him to the Federal Medical Centre in Azare where he died at about 9.00p.m. As Muslims, we accept his death in good fate. He was a complete gentleman, who was easy-going and a very simple person.”
Police suspect insider collaboration between the bandits and the banks staff in the incident. In their separate accounts however, some staff of the bank who spoke to Weekly Trust on condition of anonymity expressed their displeasure with the statements credited to the Commissioner of Police, Ikechukwu Ayo Aduba that they have a hand in the attack on their bank. They said the robbers took away the strong room key forcefully from them and not as stated by the commissioner. “What will you do when even the policemen that are supposed to protect you are afraid and have fled?” they asked.
In his account of the incident after he visited the scene of the incident, Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Mr Ikechukwu Ayo Aduba had said: “From an on-the-spot assessment of the crime scene, the issue of insider information is glaring and cannot be ruled out.”
Aduba also said from intelligence reports, they gathered that the robbers parked their vehicle at a distance and trekked to the police station. “The policemen were overwhelmed by the spontaneity of the attack and the superior firepower of the bandits, who were armed with locally-made bombs and general purpose machine guns (GPMG).” Aduba told Weekly Trust that the corpses of the bandits killed during the operation were removed by their colleagues. “So we’re still trailing them,” he said.