Chairman of Moba Local Government Council of Ekiti, Mr Michael Aborisade, has condemned the Thursday attack on a commercial bank in Otun-Ekiti by suspected armed robbers, describing it as quite unfortunate.
Aborisade stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Otun-Ekiti.
NAN reports that hoodlums had, on Thursday evening, attacked the bank in Otun Ekiti, killing a policeman in the process.
The chairman noted that in spite of the dynamite used by the hoodlums to break into the banking hall, they were unable to enter the bank’s major vault, popularly called ‘strong room’.
Aborisade said that he was unhappy that the hoodlums were able to escape, in spite of the fact that the operation was carried out during the day.
“I was not happy that the armed robbers escaped because they had the guts to dare our security agencies by attacking the bank during the day.
“They killed a mobile police officer attached to the bank and this is why I am not happy that they escaped.
“We sympathise with the family of the deceased police officer. It is quite unfortunate. We pray God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
“But the good news is that they were unable to enter the bank’s strong room and that no member of staff was killed during the operation,” he said.
Aborisade expressed satisfaction with the quick response of the security agencies, thus making it impossible for the hoodlums inside the bank to flee through the back.
He urged the security agencies to be more vigilant, adding that the state government should also provide good vehicles for them to enhance their job.
Similarly, two community leaders, Mr Biodun Anjorin and Mrs Florence Ajibola, said that incessant bank robberies had hampered the development of the town.
They said that some commercial banks deliberately vacated the community because of incessant attacks by notorious armed robbers.
Anjorin noted that Thursday the incident caused panic in the community, as everybody was scampering for escape from the scene.
“The police and the military men, including civilians were panicking, but we thank God that nobody died, except the policeman on duty at the bank,” he said.
Anjorin urged the state government and the security agencies to arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
Also, Ajibola said that the robbery incident was not the first of such in the town, stressing that several financial institutions had relocated to other towns because of the regular attacks by hoodlums.
Ajibola appealed to the state government to find lasting solutions to the security challenges in the community. (NAN)
