Offa bank robbery prime suspects nabbed in Offa, Ibadan, Lagos

The police have arrested 12 suspects who were directly involved in last week’s deadly bank robbery in Offa, Kwara State.

Four of the suspects str indigenes of the town, the police said.

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Jimoh Moshood, who disclosed this to newsmen on Friday in Abuja, said the suspects were arrested in Offa, Ilorin [both in Kwara State], Ibadan [Oyo State] and Lagos following a tip-off.

According to him, items recovered from the suspects include guns, handsets, ipads and SIM cards belonging to victims of the robbery.

Other items recovered from them are two pistols, 20 rounds of live ammunition and four phones.

He stated that immediately after the incident, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, deployed additional police personnel in Kwara State and the teams engaged in massive raids of identified criminal spots/flashpoints, stop-and-search operations, visibility and confidence building patrols and intelligence gathering which led to the arrest of the suspects.

Some of the arrests involved serious exchange of gunfire between the police and the suspects in their various hideouts, he said.

“All the suspects, during investigation, confessed to the various roles they played in the commission of the crime. However, investigation is being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large and bring them to justice

“The Nigeria Police Force, once again, deeply commiserates with the government and people of Kwara State, most especially the people of Offa and the families of the victims.

“The Force will leave no stone unturned in unravelling this dastardly act and bring all those responsible to justice. The Force appreciates the support from members of the public so far and calls for calm and their cooperation to sustain the normalcy that has been restored in the state,” Moshood said.

A statement released by the FPRO reads in part: “The following are the suspects arrested who have admitted to the various criminal roles they played in the banks robbery attacks and are also assisting Police investigation into the incident.

“(I) Adegoke Shogo, 29 years, native of Offa Kwara State, he was arrested in Offa after the bank robbery and the attack on the police station. He is a drug baron and also an Indian hemp dealer in Offa, Kwara State. According to intelligence gathered from cultivated and reliable informant, he is alleged to be one of the sponsors of the robbery attack and the attack on the police station in Offa. He has made useful statements with regard to the roles he played in the armed robbery.

“(II) Kayode Opadokun, 35 years, native of Offa, Kwara State, he was found to have been released from prison three (3) months ago after serving only eight (8) months of his sentence years for armed robbery, notorious armed robber and confirmed gang member of the Offa bank robbers. A Barrette pistol and six (6) rounds of live ammunition were recovered from him. He has admitted to the criminal roles he played in the Offa bank robbery.

“(III) Kazeem Abdulrasheed, 36 years, native of Offa, Kwara State, a gang member from whom a victim’s phone was found. He was arrested in Offa.

“(IV) Azeez Abdullahi, 27 years, native of Offa, Kwara State, a gang member from whom a victim’s phone and SIM cards were recovered.

Offa robbery attack: Police arrest seven suspects

“(V) Alexander Reuben, 39 years, native of Isoko LGA, Delta State, He is a notorious, deadly and hardened bank robber from whom GMPGs, rocket launchers and several rifles were recovered in 2015. He was released from prison in December 2017. He was arrested on the 11th April, 2018 in Lagos.

“(VI) Jimoh Isa, 28 years, native of Okene, Kogi State, indicted by technical intelligence generated on the bank robbers. He was arrested on the 11th April, 2018 in Lagos.

“Three (3) suspects, namely, Azeez Salawudeen, 20 years, Adewale Popoola, 22 years and Adetoyese Muftau, 23 years, from whom two (2) phones and SIM cards belonging to victims were recovered, have also made confessional statements, admitting to the various roles they played in the commission of the crime.

“(I) Aminu Ibrahim, 18yrs – arrested in Ilorin.

“(II) Richard Buba Terry, 23 years and

“(III) Peter Jaba Kuunfa, 25 years.

“These three (3) suspects in whose possession another Beretta pistol and fourteen (14) rounds of live ammunition were recovered, were arrested in connection with the Offa bank robbery. They have previously been investigated and charged to court for armed robbery and cultism. They have made confessional statements admitting to the various criminal roles they played in the recent bank robbery in Offa.

“The Nigeria Police Force, once again, deeply commiserates with the government and people of Kwara State, most especially the people of Offa and the families of the victims. The Force will leave no stone unturned in unravelling this dastard act and bring all those responsible to justice. The Force appreciates the support from members of the public so far and calls for calm and their cooperation to sustain the normalcy that has been restored in the state.”

The suspects

(I) Adegoke Shogo, 29 years – arrested in Offa.

(II) Kayode Opadokun, 35 years – arrested in Offa.

(III) Kazeem Abdulrasheed, 36 years – arrested in Offa.

(IV) Azeez Abdullahi, 27 years – arrested in Offa.

(V) Alexander Reuben, 39 years – arrested on the 11th April, 2018 in Lagos.

(VI) Jimoh Isa, 28 years – arrested on the 11th April, 2018 in Lagos.

(VII) Azeez Salawudeen, 20 years – arrested in Offa and victim’s phone and SIM cards recovered from him.

(VIII) Adewale Popoola, 22 years – arrested in Offa and victim’s phone and sim cards recovered from him.

(IX) Adetoyese Muftau, 23 years – arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State.

(X) Aminu Ibrahim, 18 years – arrested in Ilorin.

(XI) Richard Buba Terry, 23 years – arrested in Ilorin.