Ekiti Bank Robbery: Bank Staff May Have Collaborated With Robbers - Police

As Bank staff were captured on CCTV stealing money

By The Nigeria Voice
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The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Asuquo Amba, has indicted staff of a new generation bank of complicity in the robbery at its branch in Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State on Thursday.

Amba said it was obvious that the staff were complicit from the CCTV footage of the robbery and their action and inaction that they were either active collaborators in the robbery or took advantage of it to enrich themselves.

Over N25 million was said to have been stolen in the operation that saw the robbers first attacking the Police Division in Oye before proceeding to the bank.

Amba said there was a similarity between the attack and the one on a bank at Ise Ekiti about two months ago.

He said there was enough time for the bank staff to have shut their premises before the robbers arrived, having heard the shots at the police station.

He said during an on-the-spot assessment of the bank and divisional station: “What baffles me is that there was nexus between the robbers and insiders in the banking premises.

“The Oye Police Division is about one or two poles from here.

“It was the first point of attack.
“The bankers confirmed that they heard the shots and it took about 10 minutes before the robbers arrived at the bank from there.

“Within the period, there were some activities that went on inside the bank.

“It is either there was strict connivance, or that the bank officials took advantage to carry out their own intention, which an investigation would prove.

“Between the time the robbers attacked our men and the time the robbery took place, the staff had enough time to escape through the exit door.

“They were captured by CCTV moving in and out of the vault.

“The vault was even opened before the robbers came.

“Despite the opportunity, none of them made efforts to escape.

“They were stuffing money and there is evidence to prove this.

“The staff opened the vault by 3:05pm and the robbers blew up the security door at 3:12pm.

“This gave a strong suspicion that there was internal collaboration in this matter.

“What we have seen is that there is a missing chain in the link.

“It is that missing chain that we are working out.

“And I can assure you that we will mend the missing chain to get the result of our investigation.”

Amba said the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered thorough investigation into the robbery.

He said: “The IGP has directed that there must be a very thorough investigation and that this mode of operation must be brought to fore.”

Two persons – a Police Sergeant and a seven-year-old girl – were killed during the attack.