Armed Robbery Attacks: Banks still under lock in Aba


Commercial activities are gradually being crippled in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State following the closure of banks in the area for three days running due to the menace of armed robbers.

There was an unconfirmed story on Tuesday that a leader of a criminal gang operating in the area had written some commercial banks in the city and demanded a specific amount of money which should be given to them within two days or they (commercial banks) be prepared for the worst.

At about 2 pm on that Tuesday when the rumour spread like wild fire around town, most banks in the city abruptly closed for business, leaving their customers stranded. Some of the banks officials who spoke to Daily Sun said the action was a precautionary measure as they were not prepared to take any risk.

But despite the measure banks in the city adopted, armed bandits on Wednesday, in a military style swooped on two commercial banks within the Alaoji area of Aba and carted away millions of naira, forcing few commercial banks that opened for business to close immediately.

The fear of Wednesday’s armed robbery attack was carried over to yesterday as no single commercial bank opened for business in the whole of Aba, forcing most business activities to be grounded in the city.
When Daily Sun visited some bank offices located on Ikot Ekpene, Asa, Factory and Eziukwu roads, they were all under lock and key. At First Bank in Ogbor hill, the main entrance to the bank was firmly under lock as some of their customers who came to transact one business or another were seen outside the gate in small circles, discussing their fate.

A man who claimed to have come from Bayelsa State to Aba since three days ago to cash a cheque, was yet to do that as at yesterday. According to him, “some one gave me a cheque to cash at a bank, on Port Harcourt road, Aba. As I went to cash the cheque, the bank’s entrance was under lock, and as I tried to find out from a security man attached to the bank, what was the problem, a Hummer bus and a Jeep that followed behind, pulled by and the occupants instantly opened fire and I nearly fainted. Up till now, I’m yet to cash the cheque and I don’t have money to travel back to Bayelsa”, he said.

Although some officials of the banks held a meeting with the Aba area commander of the Nigeria Police where they (officials), according to police source, were assured of adequate security, but the banks as at the time of filing the report were yet to re-open as their helmsmen were said to be insisting on a more concrete assurance from government.



http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/june/03/national-03-06-2010-016.htm

How violent crimes threaten businesses in Aba:
http://www.businessdayonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11458:how-violent-crimes-threaten-businesses-in-aba&catid=94:features&Itemid=353

GODFREY OFURUM writes that traders and other business owners are demanding compensation as the unending spate of violent robbery, hostage-taking, and police brutality appear to be driving businesses out of Aba, the south east's commerce hub
Last week, mayhem visited traders at Osisioma Market in Aba. Many shops were destroyed and others pulled down in a manner that has now given Aba town and environs a new feeling of desolation. Today traders at Osisioma Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, whose shops and wares were destroyed by a team of anti-terrorist squad of the Nigerian Police Force on a reprisal attack last week, are demanding compensation and have appealed to the State Government to come to the aid of the commercial city.

Godwin Osuagwu, one of the victims, whose business premises was completely raised down said government should compensate them as they are not kidnappers neither were they armed robbers.

According to him, we do legitimate businesses and rely on our various trades to provide for our families as well as contribute to the economic growth of the state through taxes and levies to the government. He appealed to the Nigerian Police authorities to caution their men by reminding them of their responsibilities in the society, which is to protect lives and properties of the citizens and not to harass those they are meant to protect. "The way things are now, our lives are in danger, because we now have both the police that are supposed to protect us and armed bandits to be afraid of, which is not good."

Another victim, Emeka Orisakwe who said he lost goods worth N1.5 million and cash of N170,000 in the incident urged the State Government to raise funds for them to continue with their businesses.

Azubuike Eke, a jewelry dealer who said he lost gold worth over N1million urged the State Government to look into the matter and see how best to cushion the effect of the loss on them. "We are all young people and this is where we get our livelihood. Idealness brews negativity and most of us would not want to soil our hands as it is not the type of life we want live so, Government should please come to our aid," he prayed.

"We want government to compensate us for the losses. There is noting else we are asking for", says Kelechi Nkemdirim, another victim.

On Friday May 15, 2010, a dare devil-armed robbery gang raided commercial banks at Osisioma, Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State and left on there trail tales of woes and anguish. The robbery gang also in a brazing fashion, attacked a team of anti-terrorist squad of the Nigerian Police Force, stationed at the Osisioma roundabout, along Enugu-PortHarcourt Expressway, killing one and abducting another.

Apparently irked by the loss of their men, a detachment of the anti-terrorist squad reinforced the next day at about 5.00pm and launched a reprisal attack. Rather than go after the hoodlums, they picked on innocent civilians and traders at the Osisioma motor park, sacked them and set their shops and wares ablaze.

This is not the first time such would be happening in Aba. Also last year an unidentified police team also attacked citizens and traders at the 7Up area of Ogbor Hill after losing five of their men to some daredevil kidnappers. A community at Obingwa Local Government Area was also sacked because it was alleged that they haboured criminals.

It seems to have become an established pattern in Aba that each time it happens, innocent citizens bear the brunt. If they are not attacked or kidnapped by hoodlums, the police that are supposed to protect them humiliate them.

However, for justice to be done, the affected traders said they reported the matter to the Osisioma Area Commander of the Nigerian Police, the State Commissioner of Police Jonathan Johnson and to Young Onyeike, the lawmaker representing the area in the State House of Assembly.

Their request is that that they should be compensated for their losses and that Government should investigate the matter properly to forestall future occurrences.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police for Abia State, Jonathan Johnson has appealed to residents and traders at Osisioma to bear with the command as they investigate the circumstances that led to the reprisal attack on them by a team of anti-terrorist squad of the Force.

The Police Public Relation Officer, Ali Balogun who spoke on behalf of the Commissioner, condemned the action of his men and promised that any one found culpable in the act would be punished according to the law of the land. Meanwhile, the Abia State Government says it would open three camps in three local government areas of the state to receive kidnappers and armed robbers in the state who may wish to renounce their participation in these heinous crimes.

The centres located at Asa High School in Ukwa West Local Government Area, Ukpakiri Primary School in Obingwa Local Government Area and Nbutu Ukwu Primary School in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area would serve as receiving centres for arms and ammunitions.

Governor Theodore Orji, in a State broadcast revealed that the State Government was discussing with some Federal Government agencies on how best to receive the repentant kidnappers and armed robbers in line with the state's amnesty programme.

The Abia State governor noted that he was spurred by the Federal Government's amnesty gesture to the Niger Delta militants to offer same to kidnappers in the state, whom he noted were being killed daily by security operatives in the state, noting that his administration would not fold its arms and watch the youths, whom he described as leaders of the future, to be cut down before their prime due to crime.

He shared optimism that these kidnappers and armed robbers would take advantage offered by the amnesty to turn-in their arms and renounce this heinous crime, which according to him is destroying the economy of the state. He revealed that the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies in the country have resolved to pay special attention to States in the Southeast in order to rid them of kidnappers and armed rubbers.

"And to do this, they have decided to acquire special helicopters to trace the hideouts of these criminals and bring them to book."

He therefore advised Abia State youths involved in these crimes to desist from such acts to avoid consequences that would be inimical if they continue with the crime and decried the involvement of so many youths in the act of kidnapping and armed robbery despite.