Fidelity Bank MD, Mrs Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe and Fidelity Bank logo
By Our Reporter
A scandal of monumental proportion has rocked Fidelity Bank. A ploy by a staff of the bank who connived with four others to rob the Mokola branch of Fidelity was foiled by the police.
According to the police the robbery would have been bloody if not averted.
The robbery allegedly planned against a new generation bank was to be executed few weeks back but for the disruption by the security operatives.
The prompt effort of the Police resulted in the arrest of five members of the robbery gang.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Adewale Osifeso, a Superintendent of Police, who confirmed the development in a statement, said the officers acted on intelligence, stating that the effort led to the identification, tracking and arrest of the robbery suspects who specialized in carrying out well-coordinated robbery attacks on banks.
According to him, the suspects which included a 29-year-old contract staff/marketer of a new generation bank, Mayowa Kehinde, were arrested at their Agara Odo-Ona hideout along Akala Expressway, Ibadan, on June 13, at about 9 pm after concluding plans to execute the bank robbery attack on another new generation bank within the metropolis at the early hours of Tuesday, June 14.
He gave the names of other arrested members of the gang to include, Abass Azeez ‘m’ 42years; Rildwan Eniola ‘m’ 33years; Mistura Akinade ‘f’ 33years, Abass Aderoju ‘m’ 41years and Akeem Adeniyi ‘m’ 37years.
The Oyo Command Police spokesperson also said all the suspects confessed their various involvements in the foiled criminal operation which include arms procurement and clandestine intelligence gathering ahead of the proposed date of perpetrating the dastardly act.
The statement read in part: “In a conscious effort to rid Oyo State of unscrupulous and sinister minded elements, the Oyo State Police Command in an intelligence led and purposeful driven operation has identified, tracked and apprehended members of a criminal gang specialized in carrying out well-coordinated robbery attacks on banks.
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the criminal gang comprising of Abass Azeez ‘m’ 42years, Mayowa Kehinde ‘m’ 29years contract staff/marketer with a new generation bank, Rildwan Eniola ‘m’ 33years, Mistura Akinade ‘f’ 33years, Abass Aderoju ‘m’ 41years and Akeem Adeniyi ‘m’ 37years were all nabbed at their Agara Odo-Ona hideout along Akala Expressway, Ibadan on Monday 13/06/2022 at about 2100hrs after concluding plans to execute a bloody bank robbery attack on another new generation bank within the metropolis at the early hours of Tuesday 14/06/2022.
“The suspects have all confessed their various involvements in the criminal operations which includes arms procurement and clandestine intelligence gathering ahead of the proposes date of perpetrating the dastardly act.
“While comprehensive investigations are in progress to crackdown the criminal network and other accomplices, the Oyo State Police Command enjoins the good people of the State to continue partnering with the Police in terms of providing timely and credible information valuable in curbing criminality and maintaining the relative tranquility enjoyed in the state.
“In cases of emergency, the Command can always be reached through these emergency control room numbers: 615 (toll free) (Oyo State Security Trust Fund), and Oyo State Police Command emergency lines 07055495413 and 08081768614.
In a related development, the suspects were charged before a Chief Magistrate Court
| in Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Monday. The court ordered the remand of two bank staff and four others at the Abolongo correctional facility, over alleged foiled planned bank robbery. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Emmanuel Idowu who did not take the plea of the defendants due to lack of jurisdiction, ordered their remand at Abolongo correctional facility, Oyo Town. Idowu said they would be remanded, pending the advice of the Oyo State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP). He adjourned the matter till Sept. 29, for mention . The defendants were charged on five counts bordering on conspiracy and armed robbery. The defendants are: Mayowa Kehinde, 29; Abass Aderoju, 41; Akeem Adeniyi, 37; Abass Azeez, 42; Ridwan Eniola, 33; and Mistura Akinrinade, a female, 33. NAN reports that the six defendants were alleged to have planned an attack on Fidelity Bank, Mokola branch, Ibadan. Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp. Iyabo Oladoyin, told the court that the defendants conspired to rob the bank. Oladoyin said, “the defendants were nabbed at their Agara Odo-Ona hideout along Akala Expressway, Ibadan, on Monday, June 13, at about 9: 00 p.m.” He alleged that they were concluding plans to carry out robbery attack on another new generation bank within the metropolis. “The defendants conspired to rob the house of Adegboyega Owoeye with intent to dispossess him of N60 million at gun point. “They conspired to rob one Emmanuel Ayoola at his house with intent to dispossess him of N34 million at gun point and also rob Mr Mukaila Oseni of N28 million in his resident. “They also conspired to strike at the house of Mujidat Suleiman ‘f’ with intent to dispossess her of N20 million at gun point,” said Oladoyin. She said the offence contravened Section 6 (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap RII, Vol. 14 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.
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