We Counted 50 Dead Bodies After 30-Man Armed Robbers' Gang Raided Offa Banks —Vigilance Group

The Operations Commander, Vigilance Group of Nigeria, Offa, Kwara State chapter, Wasiu Adepoju, on Saturday, said vigilantes in the state counted about 50 dead bodies after armed robbers attacked and robbed five banks in Offa on Thursday.

The state Commissioner of police, Mr. Lawan Ado, however, was quoted by Punch Newspaper, as saying that 17 people, comprising nine police officers and eight civilians, died in the attacks.

Armed robbers had, on Thursday, robbed five banks. The banks included Union Bank, Ecobank, Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank and Ibolo Micro Finance Bank.

Adepoju in an interview with Punch said the robbers took the local security personnel by surprise. He stated that there was little they could do when they learnt of the robbery because of the sophisticated weapons the robbers came with.

He said, “After the robbery, we counted about 50 dead policemen and civilians. They shattered the bodies with bullets. They targeted mainly the heads of their victims.”

He stated that the bandits stormed the area and started shooting indiscriminately with heavy guns, adding that they ran to inform the police as they did not have any ammunition to defend themselves or to confront the robbers.

Adepoju stated that before they could reach the police station, the bandits had already killed some victims, including policemen.

He also appealed to the federal and state governments to provide them with weapons and to motivate them.

The vigilance group boss said it would be impossible for the robbers to operate and go unchallenged if the vigilantes were armed.

He further appealed to wealthy indigenes of Offa to help them, saying they were only rendering voluntary work to the community.

Adepoju said, “This is new to us. Bandits came to Offa some years ago. After that, all security operatives, including vigilantes, started to monitor the town from morning till night. They came twice at a time but it was not possible for them to operate.