The Benue State police have successfully intercepted and neutralized two of the armed robbers responsible for a series of heinous crimes, including an attack on a police station and the raid of multiple banks in Otukpo.
The brazen criminals targeted prominent financial institutions, including First Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Zenith Bank, Access Bank, and Stanbic Bank, making away with a yet-to-be-verified sum of money.
According to a statement released by Catherine Anene, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, the security forces managed to intercept the robbers along the Otukpo-Taraku road, resulting in a deadly encounter in which two of the robbers lost their lives.
The statement reported, “On 20/10/2023 at about 1615hrs, armed robbers invaded Access, First, Zenith, UBA, and Stanbic banks in Otukpo simultaneously. The Otukpo Divisional Police Officer, CSP. John Adikwu, and other police teams in the area engaged them in a gun battle but were unable to prevent their attack on the banks.”
Further reinforcements, including additional police teams and security agents, were swiftly dispatched to Otukpo to stabilize the situation and prevent the remaining robbers from escaping.
The criminals who were intercepted along the Otukpo-Taraku road engaged in a fierce gun battle with the officers, resulting in the death of two of the assailants.
Tragically, during the confrontation, the DPO, CSP. John Adikwu, sustained a gunshot injury to his stomach, and three other police officers lost their lives.
Additionally, several individuals who were present during the bank robberies sustained injuries and have been transported to the hospital for medical treatment.
