Offa Bank Robberies: Police Reportedly Redeploy Kwara CP

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The robbery that took place recently at five banks in Offa, Kwara State, has claimed another casualty, as the police chief in charge of the state, Mr Ado Lawan, has been redeployed with immediate effect.

Very reliable sources told Global Excellence magazine that a new CP, Mr. Aminu Sale Pai has been moved from Police College, Kaduna, to replace Lawan, and Sale, we heard, has since taken charge.

Initially, another police officer, Celestine Okoye, was penciled to replace Law an but the Police Service Commission failed to ratify his appointment.

The reason behind Lawan’s removal was not immediately known to this magazine, but a reliable source said that it

IGP Ibrahim Idris

might be related to investigations still ongoing over the bank heist which has left the city of Offa in paralyzing mood since the last two weeks.

It should be recalled that the police on Wednesday arraigned the owner and staff of an hotel before a magistrate court in Ilorin, Kwara State, for allegedly withholding information on suspects in the deadly April 5 bank robbery in Offa.

At least 17 persons, including nine police officers were killed when a gang of robbers attacked the main police station and six banks in the the second largest town in Kwara State.

The robbers were believed to have lodged in Xontex Hotel in Igosun, from where they proceeded to unleash terror on neighbouring Offa just a few kilometres away.

Those brought before the court include the proprietor of the hotel, Kadir Surajudeen; his accountant, Hassan Kehinde; the receptionist, Bello Bilquis; and the room keeper, Williams Sunday.

-Rahman Is’mail