Some detectives in the Ondo state police command have reportedly foiled plans by some robbers who dug a tunnel into the premises of an old generation bank, United Bank for Africa, UBA, in Akure, the Ondo State capital with the intention to rob the bank located along Ado/ Owo road.
According to police sources, the tunnel could contain three persons at a time. Consequent upon the foiling of the plan, Vanguard reports that no fewer than 15 suspects including farmers and construction workers within the vicinity of the bank have been quizzed by detectives.
It was learnt that the perpetrators did the digging at weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) when traffic in the area was thin and there would not be any banking activities.
It was also gathered that detectives, after the discovery of the tunnel rounded up the suspects and reportedly whisked them to the police command for questioning.
The state Police authorities confirmed that some people have been invited for interrogation.
The Command’s spokesman, Femi Joseph, said those invited were not arrested but were called to help in the investigation as regards the foiled robbery attempt. Joseph assured that the Police Command would apprehend the perpetrators soon.
Meanwhile, reports had it that following the discovery, banks across the state have stepped up their security and have reportedly given quit notices to shop owners and removed barriers within meters to the bank’s buildings.
The discovery was said to have sent jitters down the spines of management of banks in the state. The managers of banks in the state reportedly held an emergency meeting where some security hints from the state Police authorities were deliberated upon to guard against being caught unawares by the hoodlums.
The introduction of this new trend by men of the underworld, reports say shocked the bankers.
Giving the account of how the state police command foiled the robbery attempt, the State Police Commissioner, Mike Ogbodu, said that the tunnel was discovered by his detectives.
“Our bank surveillance squad discovered a long tunnel dug by suspected armed robbers behind the Ado/ Owo road branch of the United Bank for Africa (UBA).
“They would have escaped the same way they came if the tunnel was not discovered. The perpetrators only needed to dig the tunnel which is about 15 meters already for another two days for them to get to the banking hall,” the spokesman added.
“The length of the tunnel dug from the perimeter fence of the bank into the premises was about 10 to 15 meters. The tunnel was apparently prepared to serve as a passage to the bank premises to carry out their nefarious acts without being noticed. Shovel, diggers and other tools used for the digging were recovered from the scene.
“This is a new trend being employed by men of the underworld these days,” Ogbodu disclosed.
Dependable Police source reportedly said that the gang that allegedly planned the robbery would have operated at the weekend when bankers would not be at work.
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