Survivors Of Benue Bank Robbery Get Government Attention

By Ayodele Oni

Benue State Government has reached out to victims of last week’s bank Robbery in Otukpo on their hospital beds with assurance to assist them.

The Deputy Governor, Dr. Sam Ode, during the visit, promised that the government would give the victims justice by doing everything to apprehend the criminals.

The incident led to pandemonium in Otukpo town Friday afternoon as armed men with the use of explosives and sophisticated weapons invaded five commercial banks in the ancient town.

Several persons including the Otukpo Divisional Police Officer, (DPO), in charge of Otukpo, three other officers, among others were shot dead after which they carted away large sums of money.

The Deputy Governor, who was accompanied on the visit by top security personnel in the state also visited the scenes of the incident for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

Dr. Ode, who made known his visit on his verified social media page, also offered financial assistance to all the survivors of the attack who are currently receiving treatment in hospitals in Otukpo.

The Deputy Governor who hails from the town, in the message said: “I paid an on-the-spot assessment visit to the scenes of the robbery which took place in Otukpo on Friday evening.

“I was accompanied by the leaders of the various security agencies comprising of the Army, Police and the DSS, where we offered government sympathy to the families of all the victims of the sad incident.

“I also visited the Och’Idoma, HRM, Dr Elaigwu John Odogbo, to condole him and the entire Idoma nation over the robbery attack on our homeland.

“Equally, I visited the injured victims who are receiving treatment in various hospitals and offered them financial assistance.

“Government will do everything necessary to apprehend the criminals and bring them to justice speedily.”

During the unprecedented bloody armed robbery, a number of fatalities was recorded including the Divisional Police Officer of Otukpo, three female Police Officers, and Emmanuel Uche, a UBA newly recruited staff who had just finished serving his country as a Youth Corper.

According to Police sources, four of the dare devil robbers have been arrested, while two were neutralised on the day of the Robbery by soldiers who gave them a hot chase – sadly, after the tragic incident.

The Banks raided were UBA, First Bank, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, and Zenith Bank.