Dare devil armed robbers snatched N50 million from Niger SSG Accountant one year after similar incident

In broad day light in Minna, Niger State capital on Wednesday had four dare devil armed snatched over N50m cash meant for overhead cost of the office of the Secretary to the State Government.

The cash was snatched from the SSG accountant who collected the money from a nearby new generation bank that is 20 meters away from the u-turn where the incident happened.

The incident occurred at about 11.30am was also close to a pooice check point and it happened exactly one year after a similar robbery took place on 5th August, 2019.

In 2019, an Accountant with the office of Niger State Head of Service had N9.5million snatched from him by armed men at the entrance gate of the State Secretariat.

According to reports, the Accountant, accompanied by a junior staff were returning to their office in a Toyota Hillux van after collecting the money.

Report said: “They pointed a gun at them after which they asked for the key to the van. They also asked for the bags in which the money was packed and disappeared into thin air”.

Police Public Relations Officer ASP Wasiu Abiodun claimed ignorance of the incident when contacted.

Meanwhile, one of the Permanent Secretaries in the SSG’s office, responding to inquiries of journnalists, Alhaji Musa Rogo confirmed the story in a telephone conversation.

“There was armed robbery incident, but the money was less than N50million.

“The money snatched was just N7m which was meant for the payment to a contractor who supplied some grains to the government before the Eid el Kabir sallah celebration.

“We issued a cheque to the contractor but he insisted he wanted cash that is why our people went to cash the cheque for him.

“The money does not belong to government it belongs to the contractor if you look at our books we have paid the contractor.

In July 2019, gunmen snatched N1.9million in a similar incident from the cashier of the state Judicial Service Commission at about 9:00am in Minna, the state capital.