Senate blames Otukpo bank robbery on lack of intelligence report

Senator representing Benue South Senatorial District in Benue State, Patrick Aba Moro, on Tuesday blamed the weekend’s deadly bank robbery attack in Otukpo on lack of intelligence by the security agencies in the state.

The Otukpo Divisional Police Officer, John Adikwe and three other policemen as well as four civilians were reportedly killed by dare-devil armed robbers within and outside the bank premises on Saturday, October 20 in the town.

Speaking with journalists after sponsoring a motion, titled “Otukpo robbery attack: Urgent need for investigation and intervention” on the floor of the Senate, Senator Moro wondered how many armed robbers in a convoy of vehicles and motorcycles could have entered the town and operated for about an hour without intelligence and counter attack from security operatives.

He said: “We have several security check points, there is the police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have joined the road block thing.

“We also have the road safety (Federal Roads Safety Corps), the Department of State Services, all of them, none of them got a hint that 60 armed men in two Hilux vehicles were coming to invade Otukpo. Where is the intelligence?

“When the attack happened, none of the agencies could reach out to mobilize a counter attack.”

Answering a reporter’s question on the importance of State Police for community policing, he explained that his initial opposition to the call for the creation of State Police was based on the fact that most states at that time were unable to pay workers salaries and meet the basic needs of the people, saying that additional police wage bill could have overburdened the state governments.

Earlier, while presenting the motion, Senator Moro said “it was amegedon let loose as men of the underworld invaded Otukpo, the anscestral hometown of the Idoma people unleashing mayhem in the process.”

According to him, the suspected armed robbers operated for over one hour with little or no resistance holding the entire town hostage, lamenting that “in addition to the letting of blood, millions of Naira were carted away from the banks and arms and ammunition from the police command.”

The Senate, in its resolutions therefore urged the Nigeria Police and other relevant security agencies to immediately investigate the circumstance surrounding the invasion and the death of innocent persons;

It further urge the security agencies to unravel the mystery of lack of intelligence and alertness on the day of invasion.

The Red Chamber also urged the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA to, as a matter of urgency move in to provide relief materials for the rehabilitation of the Otukpo Police Command.