February 26, (THEWILL) – The Edo police command has recovered some vehicles and other items, purportedly used in Thursday’s armed robbery operation in Uromi, Esan North East local government area of the state.
A statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson for the command, SP Kontongs Bello, said, the sum of N34,510,000.00, four vehicles, and two motorcycles believed to have been abandoned by the robbers have been recovered
According to him, “at about 0730 Operatives of the Edo state police command in conjunction with local vigilantes accompanied by Chief John Odijie, the Oniha of Ubiaja led by the DPO Ubiaja acting on credible information that some vehicles suspected to have been used by armed robbers in Uromi bank robbery operations on the 24/02/2022 were seen hidden in Oruen quaters bush of Ubiaja in Esan South-East local government area of Edo state.”
He said, “On receipt of the information the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ubiaja mobilized his men who during the bank robbery operations blocked all the exit routes from in and out of Uromi town, together with the team immediately mobilize to the location and recovered the following vehicles and items; One Red Colour Camry car with Reg.No. EZA 105 KJA, One ash Colour Camry Car with Reg. No. KWL 19 DU, One Dark Ash colour corolla car with Reg. No. UBJ 734 SZ, One Lexus 330 car with Reg. No. AAA 973 FL, One Red Q. Link M/CYCLE With Reg. No. EZA 105 QN, One Red Day Long M/Cycle With Reg. No. ENU 204 QL, Two small bags containing women Items, one Union Bank ATM card and Cash Sum Thirty four million, five hundred and ten thousand Naira only ( #34,510,000.00).”
The state commissioner of police, Philip Aliyu Ogbadu while symphatizing with the familes of those who lost their lives in the unfurtunate incident, promised not to relent until all those behind the attack are bought to face the full wrath of the law.
Also, the head of the vigilante in Esan South-East local government area, Odiase said they have succeeded in recovering some of the vehicles used by the robbers in Uromi bank robbery.
According to him, “we blocked them by the rail line where they abandoned four of the vehicles and two motor cycles.
“We handed over the vehicles with the money to the Commissioner of Police who took them to the area command.
“The vehicles and cash have been recovered and counting is still ongoing at the Ubiaja police station. An arrest has also been made.
“God will reveal all the perpetrators. The blood of the innocent Will hunt them down.”
Meanwhile, the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Friday, led other top government officials for on-the-spot assessment of the scene of the robbery incident in Uromi, the administrative headquarters of Esan North-East local government area (LGA) of the state.
Obaseki, represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, was accompanied by heads of security agencies and was taken on the assessment of the affected banks by the area commander of Uromi police headquarters, Tarzan Tsav.
The affected banks include Unity, Union, UBA and Zenith Banks, all located at Market Road in Uromi.
He appealed to the people of Uromi to go about their normal businesses as the state government has beefed up security and surveillance to ensure peace is restored in the area.
According to him, “This attack is a well-organised crime. We have heard from the people and have increased surveillance in the area. We are here on behalf of the governor to find out what happened and know the extent of the damage. We are here on a fact-finding mission and have interacted with bank officials, eye witnesses, traders and people living in the area and seen the level of destruction and damage done.
“I am here with all the security chiefs and have seen the damage and beefed up security in the area. I urge all living in the area to go about their normal businesses.
“We reassure our people of improved security in the area and guarantee their safety. In the next week, people of this area will see government action on the matter,” he reassured.
The entourage also visited the palace of the Ojuromi of Uromi, HRH Anslem Odaloighe Eidenojie Il.
Addressing the traditional ruler, the governor noted, “We have come to see the level of damage and assure you that the state government has increased surveillance and safety of the people of Uromi.
“By the grace of God, these people will be arrested and brought to book. The people should go about their normal businesses.”
On his part, HRH Anslem Odaloighe Eidenojie II, said, “The situation was like a war zone and it lasted for over two hours and the robbers took control of the area and killed my subjects.”
The entourage also visited the Nigeria Police Force, Uromi command, which was also attacked by the robbers to demobilize the officers before the robbery.
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