Residents of Ikorodu in Lagos on Wednesday evening appealed to the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, to come to their rescue following three bank robbery in one months.
The latest of such robbery occurred on Wednesday at the Ogolonto area of Ikorodu.
The robbers, who stormed the town in three sports utility vehicles, raided a Zenith Bank branch and First Bank branch which is just beside it.
The banks are located directly opposite a divisional headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force.
For two hours, the robbers, who were led by a young woman, shot sporadically and broke into the banks’ strong room using dynamites.
Surprisingly, according to the residents of the area, all the officers on duty at the police divisional headquarters disappeared from sight while the robbers had a field day.
“You won’t believe that the policemen were nowhere near the scene for the two hours the robbers operated.
“The lady who led them had a very huge charm hung on her neck. She sat down at the front of the bank flanked by some of the robbers while others carried out the raid,” Oginni Victor, a resident, who witnessed the incident, said.
He said business people ran helter-skelter while the robbery lasted with many of them leaving their goods.
“This young woman sat down in front of the bank shouting and asking security operatives to come near, yet no policeman could go near,” Victor said.
After the operation, the robbers removed the plate numbers of the cars they came in and bombed the cars.
They then escaped using the ferry service operated beside the Origin Garden, a recreation center through with the robbers came in for their operation.
Some cars parked around the area were also razed by the robbers.
Another witness, who gave his name simply as Uche, said the about 15 robbers were not masked and could not be more than 22 years old each.
He said the robbers did not kill anyone throughout the operation. “They simply asked everyone to lie down and remain calm till they leave.
Only one person was said to have been shot in the leg and taken to the Ikorodu General Hospital for treatment.
“The robbers left in two speed boats, one carrying their loot.
The police later arrived some minutes after the robbers had left with armoured tanks, despising residents who mocked them for only appearing after the robbers had gone.
The banks immediately shut down activities.
When our correspondent visited the scene on Wednesday evening, the banks were shielded with plywood to hide the extent of damage.
A policeman at the scene, who pleaded to remain anonymous, denied that the police escaped from the scene.
He said police officers showed some gallantry as they chased the robbers using an armour tank.
He showed our correspondent the armoured vehicle pelted with bullets from the robbers.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Kayode Aderanti, who visited the scene, promised that the incident would be investigated.
He also evaded questions on why his men could not confront the robbers.
Some of the residents who spoke with our correspondent, said it was becoming one incident too many for them.
“We now constantly live in apprehension in Ikorodu, one of the residents, Temidayo Ope, said.
“We know that the police is facing frustration from the Federal Government, but Lagos keeps them up through the Security Trust Fund. So we see no reason why they could not confront the robbers,” he added calling on the state governor to assist the area to and prevent further attacks.
