Five arrested over planned attack on Lagos banks

The Inspector General of Police (IGP’s) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) yesterday announced the arrest of five suspected armed robbers who had planned to attack some banks in Lagos.

The IRT Commander, Abba Kyari, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), said the arrested suspects also participated in the killing of four policemen and an Army captain in Ikorodu in April, this year.

The IRT operatives, on Tuesday, acted in a follow up to credible technical intelligence deployed to Lagos by IGP Ibrahim Idris to neutralise threat posed by the notorious new militant leader, called ‘America,’ who is also responsible for the kidnapping of the Epe school children last week.

According to Kyari: “Five key members of the notorious militant group, led by America, who have perfected plans to attack and rob five banks in Lagos, have been arrested in Ikorodu and Ajah areas of Lagos State.

“They were all arrested after several days of unrelenting follow-ups by the IRT.

“Four of the arrested suspects are militants, who were sent by their gang leader, America, to survey the banks.

“The team was also to hire two operational buses that will be used to convey the militants to and from the river banks to the commercial banks.

“The fifth suspect is a security man in one of the banks targeted to be robbed,” Kyari alleged.

He, however, noted that the banks targeted were located in Lekki and Ajah areas of Lagos, adding that the suspects confessed to have chosen the targeted banks because of their proximity to the riverbanks.

“All suspects arrested have confessed to the planned robberies and confirmed that they were sent by America, their boss in the creeks, to survey the banks, together with the bank security man, who allegedly brought the job to the militants.

“Also, America had fixed Thursday, June 1, as the date for the attack on the banks before his boys were arrested by the IRT.

“The suspects are cooperating with detectives in the investigations,” Kyari added.

The suspects were named as Abiodun Olaroye, aka Gbeleju, 38, and a native of Ode Kreme Village Ondo State; Ebipatgh Tuwei, aka Segun 47, a native of Arobo in Ondo State; Benjamin Powei, aka Ben, 42, also from Arogbo; Samuel Chinedu, aka Hit Man, 30, native Of Ika North East of Delta State; and Ikechukwu Samuel Innocent, aka IK, 33, from Isiagwu village of Abia State, who is a security man in one of the targeted banks.

According to Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, efforts to arrest America and other gang members and rescue the students are in progress.