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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Lack of intelligence by security agencies and the porous nature of Uromi was responsible for the ease with which about 20 armed robbers carried out coordinated attacks on four commercial banks in the town, killing seven persons, including two policemen in the process on Thursday.
The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Marcus Onobun, who made the observation while speaking on national television which was monitored in the Benin City, said he in the company of the state Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, would be visiting the area for on-the-spot assessment.
He commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives saying, “What happened yesterday came to us as a rude shock. It’s what one could best describe as an invasion. And with what we have seen, the pictorial evidence and some videos that have been around on social media, it’s quite unfortunate.
“With what I saw, even though we’ve not been properly briefed, about what actually happened, you could see that the security was overwhelmed. And it’s quite unfortunate that such an incident could be carried out without any formal intelligence to the various security agencies because I don’t think that such an action was just planned overnight because you have these criminals numbering over 20 with various vehicles and all sophisticated weapons and all of that.
“And also considering the location of the financial institutions and the area; yes, it is quite porous because we have a boundary with Delta State, and of course, there are some other routes to some riverine areas; the Illushi where you have the River Niger. However, we must now be talking about how to forestall future occurrences of this incidence. Myself and His Excellency, the deputy governor, will be visiting the scene today to get first-hand information as to what really happened, and how to curtail future occurrences, it’s quite unfortunate, and it’s so scary”, Onobun added.
He, therefore, called on government at all levels to increase their vigilance so as to check future occurrence of such incidents just as he called on security agencies to use the available pictorial evidence and videos to fish out the culprits.
“I want to believe, with what we have in place, the security architecture that had been set up in place by the state, we would be able to track these people down as well as bring them to justice”, the Speaker stated.
He noted that one of the banks was attacked despite being located near a police station.
“For the local government where this thing happened, Esan North East, it’s one of the most populous local governments we have in Edo Central and they have a standard police station so we expect that they have all the required equipment. From what we were told, the police station was also attacked. So, these are part of the investigation that the security agencies have to carry out.
“There are so many questions that are begging for answers to know who those who conspired to see that this attempt to raid the people were successful; we also need to know how those people got into town that the security agencies were unable to pick on them, and they drove freely, and all of that. So, these are questions that are begging for answers”, Onobun said.
Meanwhile, a PDP chieftain, Ose Anenih, has condemned attack on the community.
He said he was taken aback by the well-coordinated attack by the armed robbers, calling on the Federal Government to approve the setting up of state police.
Speaking after visiting the scenes of the robberies, Anenih said state police would enhance swift local response to local challenges, which must be accommodated in the ongoing constitutional review.
“My heart goes out to the immediate families of the dead and the entire Uromi community over the callous robbery attack that has devastated our community.
“There is no pursuit that is worth taking the life of any human being. These barbaric killings of innocent people must not go unpunished, and I want to urge the Police to respond swiftly to apprehend the killers.
“It is heart-wrenching that the state, and Nigeria at large, have been crippled by rising insecurity. I believe that this is a result of not just an absence of morality and conscience in these criminals; but also a failure of our current security architecture to curtail the excesses of these criminals.
“My position on the need to decentralise Police operations in Nigeria with the creation of State Police is well documented. The only way we can successfully fight crime locally is to adopt the most effective strategy of local policing with local and community members in charge of securing in their community through state police.
“Nigeria today needs to restructure our security framework. State governors need to be able to control their own local state police forces. Regional security networks like Amotekun need to be given legislative teeth to combat armed bandits successfully.
“As a matter of urgency, Nigerians must realise that we cannot continue to use ineffective tactics to address the rising crimes in our country. So while we mourn the innocent victims who lost their lives, I want to plead with the President and the National Assembly to accede to our demands for the creation of state police”.
