Foiled Robbery: Police Arrest Bank Staff, Four Others in Ibadan

Kemi Olaitan

The Police in Oyo State yesterday said  they  foiled what could have been a  bloody bank robbery in Ibadan, the  state capital.

The robbery allegedly planned against a new generation bank was to be executed last Tuesday but for the disruption by the security operatives.

The prompt effort of the Police resulted in the arrest of five members of the robbery gang.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Adewale Osifeso, a Superintendent of Police, who confirmed the development in a statement, said the officers acted on intelligence, stating that the effort led to the identification, tracking and arrest of the robbery suspects who specialized in carrying out well-coordinated robbery attacks on banks.

According to him, the suspects which included a 29-year-old contract staff/marketer of a new generation bank, Mayowa Kehinde, were arrested at their Agara Odo-Ona hideout along Akala Expressway, Ibadan, on June 13, at about 9 pm after concluding plans to execute the bank robbery attack on another new generation bank within the metropolis at the early hours of Tuesday, June 14.

He gave the names of other arrested members of the gang to include, Abass Azeez ‘m’ 42years; Rildwan Eniola ‘m’ 33years; Mistura Akinade ‘f’ 33years, Abass Aderoju ‘m’ 41years and Akeem Adeniyi ‘m’ 37years.

The Oyo Command Police spokesperson also said all the suspects confessed their various involvements in the foiled criminal operation which include arms procurement and clandestine intelligence gathering ahead of the proposed date of perpetrating the dastardly act.

The statement read in part: “In a conscious effort to rid Oyo State of unscrupulous and sinister minded elements, the Oyo State Police Command in an intelligence led and purposeful driven operation has identified, tracked and apprehended members of a criminal gang specialized in carrying out well-coordinated robbery attacks on banks.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that the criminal gang comprising of Abass Azeez ‘m’ 42years, Mayowa Kehinde ‘m’ 29years contract staff/marketer with a new generation bank, Rildwan Eniola ‘m’ 33years, Mistura Akinade ‘f’ 33years, Abass Aderoju ‘m’ 41years and Akeem Adeniyi ‘m’ 37years were all nabbed at their Agara Odo-Ona hideout along Akala Expressway, Ibadan on Monday 13/06/2022 at about 2100hrs after concluding plans to execute a bloody bank robbery attack on another new generation bank within the metropolis at the early hours of Tuesday 14/06/2022.

“The suspects have all confessed their various involvements in the criminal operations which includes arms procurement and clandestine intelligence gathering ahead of the proposes date of perpetrating the dastardly act.

“While comprehensive investigations are in progress to crackdown the criminal network and other accomplices, the Oyo State Police Command enjoins the good people of the State to continue partnering with the Police in terms of providing timely and credible information valuable in curbing criminality and maintaining the relative tranquility enjoyed in the state.

“In cases of emergency, the Command can always be reached through these emergency control room numbers: 615 (toll free) (Oyo State Security Trust Fund), and Oyo State Police Command emergency lines 07055495413 and 08081768614.

“The NPF rescue-me-app is also available for free download on both Android and Apple IOS, for Android and Iphone users respectively.”