Staff, others nabbed for foiled attack on bank in Rivers

A staff of Access Bank Plc, Samuel Ndudiri, has been arrested by the police alongside other suspects in the failed bid to rob a branch of the Bank in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Also alleged to have been involved in the attack on December 22, 2016 was a security guard of the bank.
According to the Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, those arrested also included a dismissed policeman, Sergeant Promise Ukwuoma.
Awunah said others arrested were Samuel Nwala, Lucky Ukwuoma and Kaale Taagabah.
Recovered from them were two AK 47 Rifles and magazines fully loaded with ammunition, a welding machine, two gas cylinders and iron cutters, a big chisel, cutting saw, hammer and acetylene gas power.
Awunah added: “On the 22nd December, 2016, the five (5) suspects mentioned above and other still at large stormed a Branch of Access Bank PLC in Port Harcourt, relying on information and active involvement of one of the staff of the Bank, the armed robbers successfully broke down the well fortified security doors and barriers and took over the banking hall. They were almost pulling down the vault of the Bank and other strong rooms in the bank with use of gas cylinder welding machine and iron cutters before the joint Police Teams of IGP’S Intelligence Response Team and Policemen from Rivers state Police Command swiftly moved in and dislodged them, thereby foiled the armed robbery attack on the Bank and made a prompt arrest of three (3) of the suspects at the scene; namely Samuel Nwala ‘M’ 28 years, Lucky Ukwuoma ‘M’ 26 years, Kaale Taagabah ‘M’ 27 years.
“In the course of thorough investigation into the foiled armed robbery attack on the Bank, the principal suspect who is a staff of the Bank and the master mind of the armed robber attack was subsequently arrested based on the confessional statements volunteered by the last three suspects arrested at the scene. The arrest of the principal suspect led to the arrest of Ex SGT Promise Ukwuoma who participated actively in the armed robbery attack on the Bank, the two (2) AK 47 riffles and the ammunition were recovered from him. All the suspects have volunteered confessional and useful statements to the Police about the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the crime.
“However, concerted efforts are being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large and bring them to justice.
“The case will be charged to court on completion of investigation.”