The Senate has called on Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other relevant security agencies, to immediately investigate the deadly bank robbery attack that took place in Otukpo, Benue State last Friday.
The Senate also urged the security agencies to unravel the mystery of lack of intelligence and alertness on the day of invasion.
The Red Chamber further requested the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to, as a matter of urgency, move in to provide relief materials for the rehabilitation of the Otukpo Police Command.
The apex legislative Assembly made the resolutions, following the adoption of a motion on matter of urgent public importance, brought to the Chamber during plenary by the Senator representing Benue South Senatorial District of Benue State, Patrick Aba Moro.
While presenting the motion, Moro said “it was armageddon let loose as men of the underworld invaded Otukpo, the anscestral hometown of the Idoma people unleashing mayhem in the process.”
He blamed the deadly bank robbery attack in Otukpo on lack of intelligence by the security agencies in the State.
According to him, the armed robbers operated for over one hour with little or no resistance holding the entire town hostage, lamenting that “in addition to the letting of blood, millions of Naira were carted away from the banks and arms and ammunition from the Police Command.”
The Otukpo Divisional Police Officer, John Adikwe and three other policemen as well as four civilians were reportedly killed by dare-devil armed robbers within and outside the bank premises on Friday, October 20, 2023.
Speaking with journalists after the adoption of the motion, titled “Otukpo robbery attack: Urgent need for investigation and intervention” on the floor of the Senate, Senator Moro wondered how many armed robbers in a convoy of vehicles and motorcycles could have entered the town and operated for about an hour without intelligence and counter-attack from security operatives.
He said: “We have several security checkpoints, there is the police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have joined the road lock thing.
“We also have the road safety (Federal Roads Safety Corps), the Department of State Services, all of them, none of them got a hint that 60 armed men in two Hilux vehicles were coming to invade Otukpo. Where is the intelligence?
“When the attack happened, none of the agencies could reach out to mobilise a counter-attack.”
Responding to a question on the importance of State Police for community policing, he explained that his initial opposition to the call for the creation of State Police was based on the fact that most states at that time were unable to pay workers’ salaries and meet the basic needs of the people, saying that additional police wage bill could have overburdened the state governments.