Date: 2018-05-12

MEMORIES of last month's bloody robbery incidents in Offa, Kwara State, lingers in the minds of the residents of the ancient town. The dare-devil armed robbers had attacked five banks and a police station, killing more than 17 people in the process.

While residents of the town are yet to come to terms with the bloody incident, commercial banks in the town are yet to open their doors to customers, forcing scores of customers to travel as far as Ilorin and Osogbo, Osun State to carry out banking transactions.

A visit to the town on Wednesday revealed the presence of security personnel, mostly riot policemen. From Ijagbo in Oyun Local Government Area of the state to Owode Market area of Offa, the reporter counted no fewer than five security checkpoints.

This has affected vehicular movements as vehicles move at snail speed and are thoroughly searched by security men. A resident who confided in our correspondent said although normal activities had returned, many residents were still living in fear.

A member representing Oke-Ogun Constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Kamal Oyekunle Fagbemi, pleaded with the management of the affected banks to reopen for businesses, saying that doing so would lessen the difficulties depositors were experiencing in the wake of the robbery incident.

In his motion on the floor of the House yesterday, Fagbemi decried the unpleasant situation of businesses in Offa town as a result of the attack, saying that it left much to be desired.

The lawmaker, who noted that customers had resorted to travelling to neighbouring Osun State and Ilorin, Kwara State capital, for financial transactions, urged the affected banks to consider the hardship people had been subjected to.

He applauded the swift response of the Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki, and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, on what he called the "alarming security situation."

Fagbemi commended the state government for the step taken in the construction of a mobile police barrack in Offa town as part of efforts to forestall a re-occurrence of the ugly incident.

He said: "I appeal to commercial banks in Offa to consider the difficulties and hardship our people are going through to perform one transaction or another because of the closure of the banks.

"Some of them who want to either deposit or withdraw have to travel to Osun State and Ilorin on account of the closure. They should kindly reopen for businesses since there is assurance that security situation has improved."

The Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) governorship candidate in Kwara State in 2011, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, was also in Offa to commiserate with the monarch. Said he: "I am here to pay condolences to Offa and its Kabiyesi. Offa has bounced back. They are a resilient and strong-willed people. We will also give them the best support we can muster.

"Offa was ambushed. It is not something they prepared for. But we have been to the city. The Federal Government has assisted by putting two mobile police stations here, which consist of 102 personnel. We understand that the state government has ordered for some vehicles for patrol. But that is yet to be seen. We can see policemen on ground at the federal level.

"It is indeed very important for well-meaning Nigerians to come to their assistance. The town is planning a N400 million project to build a police barracks. They are also relocating the police station. So I am imploring all well-to-do in the society to assist them in the laudable project they have embarked upon."

The Offa monarch, Oba Mohammed Muftau Gbadamosi, lamented that the town had been attacked four times by armed robbers in 10 years. Oba Gbadamosi said that the people of the town had picked up the pieces of their lives and had moved on.

He added that the town was embarking on the construction of a N400 million police barracks for the accommodation of officers and men.

An Ibadan-based legal practitioner, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, described the robbery attack as a national disaster. The lawyer has as a result donated the sum of N500,000 to Offa community for the treatment of people who sustained injuries during the attack.

Prince Fagbemi noted that the motive of the hoodlums was to dampen the widely acclaimed resilience of Offa, saying that it would rather strengthen the ancient town's resolve to be more united, focused and to rise above any adversity.

He regretted that the attack came at a time the community had enjoyed relative peace and accelerated development on account of purposeful leadership of the monarch.

He expressed his readiness to assist in any measure designed to provide adequate security for Offa town and its environs.

Fagbemi said: "It is with a heavy and grieving heart that I write you this letter to commiserate with your Royal Majesty, the Olofa-in-Council, the families of the victims and the entire people of Offa over the unfortunate robbery incident of April 5, 2018.

"The robbery attack, coming at a time Offa had enjoyed relative peace and accelerated development due to your purposeful leadership of the ancient town, not only casts a dark cloud on Offa but the entire nation. Offa is not just a cosmopolitan town; it is home to many people of diverse origin and culture.

"Personally, my history will not be complete without Offa, which provided me with the foundation of a glorious career.

"As a prince of Ijagbo and an alumnus of Offa Grammar School, my commitment to the development of Offa and its environs cannot be over-emphasised.

"While the perpetrators of the dastardly act may think that the incident will dampen the well-known resilience of Offa people, I make bold to say that the incident will rather strengthen our resolve to be more united, focused and to rise above any adversity, including the present one.

"In the spirit of the ancient tradition of Offa, we as a people shall ' 'wrestle' all that seeks to divide us or assail our proud heritage as a peaceful and accommodating town.

"In view of the above, I shall make available my widow's mite as a token of love for the treatment of those who sustained various injuries during the attack"