But for credible intelligence, some Deposit Money Banks operating in the Lekki and Ajah axis of Lagos State would by now be counting their losses in monetary terms and possibly human lives.
This was because some militants had concluded arrangements to hit the branches of the banks before they were stopped by the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari.
According to available information, the militants had planned to hit Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, Keystone Bank and First City Monument Bank, all in the Ajah and Lekki areas of Lagos State.
An attack on the FCMB branch in the area about three years ago left no fewer than 14 persons dead, with millions of Naira and foreign currencies carted away.
The Eagle Online learnt that the latest plot was hatched by the new militant leader, America.
The gang that plotted the attack is said to be behind the abduction of six students of Igbonla Model School in Epe, Lagos State.
Based on credible intelligence, the IGP, Ibrahim Idris, was said to have drafted the Kyari-led IRT to foil the attack.
Not only was the attack foiled, the IRT also arrested five key members of the gang.
Those arrested were Abiodun Olaroye, aka Gbeleju, 38, a native of Ode Kreme Village Ondo State; Ebipatgh Tuwei, aka Segun, 47, a native of Arobo, Ondo State; and Benjamin Powei, popularly known as Ben, 42; a native of Arogbo, Ondo State, who participated in the Killing of four policemen and an Army Captain in Ikorodu, Lagos State last month.
Others are Samuel Chinedu, 30, aka Hit Man, a native of Ika North area of Delta State; and Ikechukwu Samuel Innocent, widely known as IK, 33, a native of Isiagwu Village of Abia State and a security man in one of the targeted banks.
They were said to have been arrested in Ikorodu and Ajah areas of Lagos State after several days of unrelenting follow up by the IRT.
America was said to have sent four of the arrested suspects, who are militants, on the operation.
They were to hire two operational buses that will be used to convey them to and fro the river bank at Ajah to the banks.
Specific banks to be attacked were Zenith Bank and FCMB in Lekki and FCMB, GTB and Keystone Bank in Ajah.
The banks were said to have been chosen because of their proximity to the river banks, those arrested confessed.
The operation was to have been carried out on July 1.
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