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HOUSE RESOLVES TO INVESTIGATE THE OFFA BANK ROBERY IN ORDER TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCE

HOUSE RESOLVES TO INVESTIGATE THE OFFA BANK ROBERY IN ORDER TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCE
The House of Representatives at its plenary session on Thursday, April 12, 2018 has mandated its Committee on Police Affairs to institute a probe into the bank robbery of 5th April, 2018 which took place in Offa, Kwara State that lasted for several hours and saw to the death of police officers and civilians. The resolution came on the heels of a motion of urgent public importance, moved by one of the Members from the affected State, Hon. Olayonu Danladi. 

He prayed the House to commiserate with the government and people of Kwara State over the unfortunate incident, while canvassing that if the reasons why the robbers successfully carried out their attack and even overwhelmed security operatives on ground are not properly probed, the tendency is that it might repeat in the nearest future.

He informed that the armed robbers tactically attacked a police station located in the town and killing the police officers first before hitting their target. The lawmakers expressed concern that this gives the impression that the police and other security operatives are incapable of protecting the lives and property of citizens which is copiously guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution. In addition, he said  that as a result of the incident, banks and other commercial activities in the town are shut down, noting that the situation portends grave consequences for the State’s economy.

Another Member from Kwara State, Hon. Ahman Pategi added that the failure of the police to send reinforcement to assist their men on ground while the robbery was being executed cast doubt in the minds of citizens about the responsiveness and effectiveness of the security apparatus in the nation. He stated that something urgently needs to be done to allay the fear that has engulfed the public as a result of the dastardly robbery operation that left scores dead. 

Other lawmakers who lent their voices to condemn the Offa bank robbery noted that the avalanche of criminal activities across the country calls for urgent intervention by the National Assembly to review the state of the nation’s security structure. 

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