The Police in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital have foiled a robbery attack on Access Bank.
They have also arrested some armed robbers who the police said specialized in bank robberies.
A statement by Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Don Awunah, a senior bank staff and security personnel attached to the bank involved in the foiled armed robbery attack on Access Bank Branch in Port Harcourt have also been arrested.
He gave the names of the suspects as follows: i. Samuel Ndudiri 28 years (staff of the Bank), a principal suspect and the master mind of the foiled armed robbery attack. Ex-Sgt Promise Ukwuoma, a dismissed Policeman and Samuel Nwala 28 years, as well as Lucky Ukwuoma 26 years and Kaale Taagabah 27 years
According to Awunah, the exhibits recovered by the police include:
i. Two (2) AK 47 Rifles and magazines fully loaded with Ammunition
ii. A welding machine
iii. Two (2) Gas cylinders and iron cutters
iv. A big Chisel
v. Cutting saw
vi. Hammer
vii. Acetylene gas power
The Force PRO stated that, ”on the 22nd December, 2016, the five 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 of the suspects at the scene; namely Samuel Nwala ‘M’ 28 years, Lucky Ukwuoma ‘M’ 26 years, Kaale Taagabah ‘M’ 27 years
According to him, in the course of thorough investigation into the foiled robbery attack, 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.
3. However, concerted efforts are being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large and bring them to justice.
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