Gov. Ahmed promises aid to victims of Offa robbery

Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has promised to pay the medical bills of victims of Thursday’s  robbery  in Offa,  headquarters of Offa Local Government Area.

Ahmed made the promise when he visited the victims at the General Hospital in  Ilorin on Friday.

The governor had earlier ordered that the victims be relocated to Ilorin from Offa for adequate treatment.

He also directed that  medical experts be mobilised  from other states to Ilorin so as to give the victims prompt treatment and support.

Ahmed, who went round the wards to meet with the victims, described the incident as unfortunate.

He commiserated with families who lost  loved ones  and also prayed to God to grant the injured victims quick recovery.

“We will take care of all their hospital bills, we must begin to watch each other’s back.

“The job of policing is everybody’s job. When we see strange people in our communities,  we must learn to report to appropriate security agencies.

“Activities like this  took sometimes in planning and execution,” Ahmed said.

The governor also stressed the need for  community policing,  maintaining  that  the police would work efficiently if they have information.

He reiterated his government’s support to strengthen the security agencies in the state,  especially in the area of logistics.

Ahmed noted that there is a  huge problem of financing in the country, but pledged that his government would work around it because the situation was now becoming precarious.

He maintained that his government would not allow the lives of the citizens to be on the line again.

The governor also inspected the  stadium complex which was damaged in  Tuesday’s  downpour.

He promised that his government would prioritise the repair of  the affected parts of the stadium.

Ahmed also promised that work would start at the Indoor Sports Hall of the stadium complex as soon as funds were available.

A gang of robbers  on Thursday raided some  commercial banks in Offa,  Kwara, killing some policemen and  residents as well as  carting away an  undisclosed amount of   cash in the process.

the heavily armed hoodlums  attacked the Owode Police Station in the metropolis where they killed the policemen and some complainants  before they raided the banks.

Sources said some customers who were transacting businesses  in the banks were also killed in the incident which was said to have lasted one hour.

The robbers, according to eye witnesses, entered the town at about  4:45 pm and operated till about 5:40 pm unchallenged after blocking the Ilorin and Osogbo entrances  into the town.

They were said to have  later made their escape through Igosun, a nearby community.

Among those said to have been  killed by the armed robbers were  a police officer  who was expected to retire in the next   few months and a pregnant police woman.

The 15 bandits, according to sources,  came in different vehicles  while  they stationed themselves at strategic locations within  the town while the operation lasted.

They were  also said to have snatched some motorcycles to aid their escape.

The injured were conveyed to the General Hospital, Offa, for treatment while the corpses of the deceased have been evacuated.

Offa  in the past  had witnessed several attacks on banks leading to the closure of some  branches in the highly commercial community which houses the Federal Polytechnic, Offa.