Date: 2018-04-14

THE Nigeria Police have arrested additional 12 suspects in connection with last week's banks raid by armed robbers in Offa, Kwara State.

Offa robbery The suspects were arrested by the high-powered Police Investigation Team, Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), three units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) and Anti-Robbery equipment which were deployed to Kwara State by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to carryout discreet investigation into the banks robbery.

The Force Headquarters' spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, who briefed the media Friday evening on the update of investigation into the development, said sensitive materials handsets, ipads and telephone SIM cards belonging to victims of the robbery were also recovered from the suspects. The suspects, who he said were arrested in Lagos, Ibadan, Illorin and Offa respectively, also arrested with dangerous weapons such as Beretta pistols and lives ammunition.

He said they confessed during discreet interrogation of their active engagement in the crime. He listed the suspects as Adegoke Shogo, 29 years old arrested in Offa, Kayode Opadokun 35 years old arrested in Offa, Kazeem Abdulrasheed 36 years old arrested in Offa, Azeez Abdullahi 27, years old arrested in Offa and Alexander Reuben, also 39 years old arrested in Lagos.

Also were Jimoh Isa, a 28 years old arrrested in Lagos, Azeez Salawudeen, 20 years old arrested in Offa and victim's phone and sim cards recovered from him;Adewale Popoola, 22 years old arrested in Offa and victim’s phone and sim cards recovered from him; Adetoyese Murtaugh, 23 years arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State;Aminu Ibrahim 18 years old arrested in Ilorin ; Richard Buba Terry, a 23 years old also arrested in Ilorin and Peter Jaba, also a 25 years old arrested in Ilorin.

"The Police teams engaged in massive raids of identified criminal spots/flashpoints, stop and search operations, visibility and confidence building patrols, intelligence gathering which led to the arrest of the suspects. Some of the arrest also involved serious exchange of gun fire between the Police and the suspects in their various hideouts.

" All the suspects during investigation confessed to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the crime, however, investigation is being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large and bring them to justice," he said.

Jimoh added:"The Nigeria Police Force once again deeply commiserates with the Government and People of Kwara State, most especially the people of Offa and the families of the victims. "The Force will leave no stone unturned in unravelling this dastard act and bring all those responsible to justice."

The Force appreciates the supports from members of the public so far and calls for calm and their cooperation to sustain the normalcy that has been restored in the state."