Governor Hyacinth Alia has vowed that perpetrators of the coordinated bank robberies in Otukpo town, Otukpo Local Government Area of the State will be arrested.
The Governor’s position was contained in a statement issued on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula.
In the statement in Makurdi, the state capital, Governor Alia described the incidents as an “affront on the state, especially that it took place at the exact time the Security Council Meeting was in progress in Government House Makurdi”.
He also strongly condemned the dastardly operations and assured that the perpetrators would be brought to book.
He specifically sympathised with the families of those gruesomely murdered by the robbers during the operation and prayed to God to grant them eternal rest.
He said: “It is an unfortunate development that people who were on duty, especially police officers, were shot and killed in cold blood by those mindless robbers.
“But they cannot get away with this.
“Already, security agencies are on their trail and must apprehend and bring them to justice.”
Alia called on the people of the state to be vigilant and always endeavour to report suspicious movements around them at all times.
The Benue State Police Command also confirmed the incidents but refused to give any detail.
However, a credible source from Otukpo claimed that the robberies took place for about two hours.
The source told the News Agency of Nigeria: “We started hearing gunshots about 3pm; when I tried to verify I discovered that three banks were being robbed.
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“Before they went to the banks, the armed robbers first attacked the Otukpo Police Station, disarmed the officers and were shooting indiscriminately.
“All of them covered their faces and were in two Hilux vans, a Toyota Matrix and another small car carrying out the robbery which lasted about one hour without any resistance.”
The source also said that the robbers left seven dead, including Police Officers and a former Councilor who was transacting business in one of the affected banks.
The source added: “The incidents caused a huge stir in the town as residents, particularly traders, were seen running helter-skelter for dear lives.”
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