League of Concerned Professionals from Kogi West Senatorial District has called on the Inspector General of Police to avert future death of policemen by thwarting politicians’ desperate ploy to scuttle investigation into source of illegal arms used in Kogi bank robbery.
Worried that gangsters and illegal arms linked to the June 4 bank robbery may be traced to them, some desperate politicians in Kogi state may be deploying massive resources towards freeing suspects and sabotage ongoing investigations, a group, the League of Concerned Professionals from Kogi West Senatorial Zone has warned the Inspector-General of Police.
In a statement sent to CAPITAL POST on Thursday, titled “IGP, Please Checkmate Desperate Kogi Politicians Whose Gangsters Robbed First Bank in Isanlu” and signed by Mr. Leke Ishola and Engr Moruf Abdulrahman who President and Secretary respectively, the group alleged that police operatives had traced some of the money stolen from the Kogi bank to another bank in Abeokuta while another team of policemen have nabbed some of the gangsters using illegal weapons given by politicians during the last elections in Kogi state.
“In spite of being underfunded and undermanned, the Nigeria Police Force has demonstrated that some of its intrepid operatives will gallantly resolve very knotty criminal activities but presently, the good works of heroic police detectives is about to be sabotaged by highly placed persons who are deploying massive resources towards preventing the criminals, their weapons and nefarious activities from being traced to them.
“Unless this matter is properly investigated to a definite conclusion, lives of many police officers and other citizens are at stake as no one knows who could be shot or killed tomorrow through the use of these illegal weapons that few politicians have put into wrong hands.
“It is in this regard that we passionately appeal to the IGP not to allow the police DPO, seven other policemen and one passerby killed by the dastardly criminals to die in vain; we fear because we heard that already, a highly-connected suspect detained in Abuja had his telephone handset returned to him, prior to his being freed.
“A young man from Kabba who was among those used by politicians in the last elections was said to have been arrested on suspicion of selling a gun to a honourable member in Benin city, a former state chairman of ALGON was suspected to have been a regular source of arms supply to gangsters who had earlier been deployed on political errands and such weapons could still be in such illegal hands“A young man from Kabba who was among those used by politicians in the last elections was said to have been arrested on suspicion of selling a gun to a honourable member in Benin city, a former state chairman of ALGON was suspected to have tipped off the gangsters about money being brought into First Bank at Isanlu.
“IGP Sir, is it not a matter of very serious concern when such a gangster says that a former state ALGON chairman routinely makes guns available to them, only for the former ALGON chairman to be briefly detained and then, released after three days, even in the face of such serious allegation?
“Also, police in Edo state were said to be holding one Osayende Okubo (Otutu) and Tunji Jones Fadeli on suspicions of unlawful possession of firearms and involvement in illegal arms deal respectively and these appear connected to increasing illegal arms possession in Kogi West area.
“There are deep fears that where fingers are being pointed towards a former state chairman of ALGON, a state House of Assembly Speaker and possibly, a state governor, the IGP must take urgent steps to ensure that the case does not end up being buried.
“Rather, there is need to take decisive actions, including urgent raids against places and persons in Kogi West Senatorial zone who are suspected to be possessing illegal arms such as that which used in robbing the bank in Isanlu,” they stated.
