Offa Armed Robbery: Police Arrest 12 Prime Suspects
A high-powered Police Investigation Team deployed in synergy with the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department to carryout discreet investigation into the banks robbery, in Offa, Kwara state, have arrested 12 prime suspects.
According to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer in Abuja, ACP Jimoh Moshood, those arrested including the nine suspects who were directly involved in the Banks Robbery and attack on a Police Station in Offa, Kwara State.
He gave the names of those arrested as 29 years old Adegoke Shogo, a native of Offa. He was said to have been arrested in Offa after the bank robbery and the attack on the Police Station.
The police said that Adegoke is also drug baron as well as an Indian hemp dealer in Offa. According to intelligence gathered from cultivated and reliable informant, Adegoke is alleged to be one of the sponsors of the robbery attack and the Police Station in Offa, and that he has made useful statements to the roles he played in the armed robbery.
Another one is 35 years old Kayode Opadokun, who is a native of Offa. He was found out to have been released from Prison Three months ago after serving only eight months of his sentence years for armed robbery. He was said to be a notorious armed robber and confirmed gang member of the Offa bank robbers.
The police said that a barrette pistol and six rounds of live ammunition were recovered from him. He has admitted to the criminal roles he played in the Offa banks robbery.
The 36 years old Kazeem Abdulrasheed, also a native of Offa Kwara, and gang member from whom a Victim’s phone was found is also among those arrested even the 27 years old Azeez Abdullahi, a native of Offa is also a gang member from whom a victim’s phone and SIM cards were recovered.
Others arrested are 39 years Alexander Reuben, a native of Isoko Local Government Area of Delta state who is described as a notorious, deadly and hardened bank robber from whom GMPGs, rocket launchers and several rifles were recovered in 2015. He was released from prison in December 2017. He was arrested on the 11th April, 2018 in Lagos; the 28 years Jimoh Isa, a native of Okene Kogi State who was indicted by Technical intelligence generated on the Bank Robbers. He was arrested on the 11th April, 2018 in Lagos.
“Three (3) suspects namely Azeez Salawudeen 20yrs, Adewale Popoola 22yrs and Adetoyese Muftau 23yrs from whom Two (2) phones and SIM cards belonging to victims were recovered have also made confessional statements admitting to the various roles they played in the commission of the crime.” [myad]
Boko Haram And The Power Of Educated Girls, By Stella Oduah
Four years have passed since 14th April 2014 when 276 girls were abducted in a girl’s secondary school in Chibok, Borno state in the northeast of Nigeria by the Boko Haram Terrorist group. The outpouring of emotions was unlike anything I have experienced in my lifetime.
Fast forward to 19th February 2018, about 110 schoolgirls were abducted in the Government Girls Science Technical College in Dapchi, a small community in Yobe state, by a faction of the terrorist group. Most of the girls secured their freedom after a series of back-channel negotiations between the sect and the Nigerian government. While image-makers of the President Muhammadu Buhari led government cheered, and declared victory, I was filled with mixed feelings.
I was delighted in part as mother to see the girls reunited with their parents, but saddened on the other as a Nigerian catholic Christian as reports got in that Leah Sharibu, one of the abducted girls remained a captive due to her defiance to the instruction by the terrorists that she renounce her faith.
As as a public official, I am afraid to say that while we continue to make progress on the territorial front, Boko Haram appears to be winning on their own ideological turf. The girls were returned but not without a warning: “Don’t ever put your daughters in school again.”
A news magazine interview with some parents and students of the school in Dapchi confirmed my fears. One of the girls interviewed, Rakiya Adamu, vowed never to return to school. She was not among one of the abducted school kids. Abdullahi Kawi, a father of one of the girls wants his daughter to go back to school but under conditions that security must be provided in the schools.
Many expert observers of the Dapchi abduction find parallels with the tragedy that befell the Chibok schoolgirls about four years ago. Boko Haram is clearly threatened by the power of educated girls and seeks to destroy them. But the biggest difference this time, is that the sect has stealthily evolved from the dark, evil terrorist group that they really are, into a faux reasonable group with some grievances. They received hero’s welcome as they returned these girls to the community while government officials were stoned during an earlier assessment visit.
Nigeria’s President, Mr. Buhari appears to have fallen for this charm offensive by the group. He offered amnesty — a move that I am totally opposed to — and which I believe, resonates with most people in my country and most especially my constituency.
Boko Haram is more of an ideological group that is opposed to education and civilisation than an expansionist group seeking to control territory. Winning for them would mean that our women and girls do not receive education. Winning for them would mean that our girls get married and pregnant early.
Nigeria has about 10.5 million out-of-school children, making our country the world’s worst afflicted with 60% of these being girls.
The larger fraction is concentrated in the Northeast of Nigeria where the Boko Haram devastation has led to the destruction and shutdown of educational facilities. The situation is worse than imagined.
We have no other choice — our schools must be secure or we would see more people stay out of schools even where they are available.
But the reality is that the current capabilities of the Nigerian security apparatus will not do. The Nigerian Police Force is acutely understaffed while the military has maintained that the same circumstances would make it almost impossible for it to secure all the schools in the region.
The $100m safe schools initiative championed by former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown in partnership with the Nigerian government under the administration of my boss, the former President Goodluck Jonathan seems to have stalled under this current administration. Donors including the Nigerian government contributed about $20m towards this project but the status is now difficult to track.
This is why I am presently consulting with my colleagues at the Nigerian Senate to proffer a legislative solution to the issue of school safety. A number of proposals that I am considering include the creation of a Safe Schools Guard. This would not be another agency of government. The proposal would seek to grant legal backing for security agencies to provide some form of military training to community vigilantes who would get commissioned into the guard. This could help to provide the much needed security for our schools without putting a drain on public expenditure.
The return on investment on girl child education is immense. Once women are educated, they are more economically empowered to invest in their families and dislodge poverty, which has become the biggest lever for Boko Haram recruitment in the region. A global study showed that educating girls will reduce child marriage by about 64% in sub-Saharan Africa.
This is why the government of Nigeria and her international partners must by all means ensure that every available resource is deployed to make sure our girls can be safe in schools. Even Boko Haram understands the power of an uneducated female child. What are we waiting for?
Senator Stella Oduah, is the President of ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians and the vice-chairman Senate Committee on Women Affairs. She tweets via @SenStellaOduah.
Stella Adaeze Oduah is Senator Representing Anambra North Constituency, Vice-chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs; President, ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians; Former Aviation Minister (2011-2014). [myad]