Police arrest dismissed officer, staff over foiled bank robbery in Rivers

POLICE has arrested former sergeant Promise Ukwuoma and one Samuel Ndudiri who is staff of a commercial bank in Rivers State over alleged foiled armed robbery attack.

Others arrested are Samuel Nwala, Lucky Ukwuoma and Kaale Taagabah.

Items recovered from the suspects, according to a statement by force headquarters include two AK 47 Rifles and magazines fully loaded with ammunition, a welding machine and two gas cylinders.

It said that the suspects and others still at large stormed a branch of Access Bank PLC in Port Harcourt, relying on information and active involvement of one of the staff of the bank.

The statement noted that the armed robbers successfully broke down the well fortified security doors and barriers and took over the banking hall.

“They were almost pulling down the vault of the bank and other strong rooms in the bank with use of gas cylinder welding machine and iron cutters before the joint Police Teams of IGP’S Intelligence Response Team and Policemen from Rivers State Police Command swiftly moved in and dislodged them, thereby foiled the armed robbery attack on the bank,” the statement noted.

It went further to say that in the course of thorough investigation into the foiled armed robbery attack on the bank, the principal suspect who is a staff of the Bank and the master mind of the armed robber attack was subsequently arrested based on the confessional statements volunteered by the last three suspects arrested at the scene.

It said, “The arrest of the principal suspect led to the arrest of Ex SGT Promise Ukwuoma who participated actively in the armed robbery attack on the Bank, the two (2) AK 47 riffles and the ammunition were recovered from him.

“All the suspects have volunteered confessional and useful statements to the Police about the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the crime.

“However, concerted efforts are being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large and bring them to justice.

“The case will be charged to court on completion of investigation.”