The Inspector-General of Police (IGP’s) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) on Friday announced the arrest of five suspected armed robbers who had planned to attack some banks in Lagos.
The IRT Commander, ACP Abba Kyari, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Kyari said the arrested suspects also participated in the killing of four policemen and an Army Captain in Ikorodu in April, this year.
The commander said that the suspects were arrested at Ikorodu and Ajah areas of Lagos State, as they perfected the planned attacks on the banks.
He said their arrest was part of the IGP Ibrahim Idris’ effort to neutralise the threat posed on Lagos by the notorious new militant leader called America.
According to him, America was also responsible for last week’s kidnap of school children in Epe.
“Five key members of the notorious militant group led by America, who have perfected plans to attack and rob five banks in Lagos have been arrested in Ikorodu and Ajah areas of Lagos state.
“They were all arrested after several days of unrelenting follow-ups by the IRT.
“Four of the arrested suspects are militants, who were sent by their gang leader, America, to survey the banks.
“The team was also to hire two operational buses that will be used to convey the militants to and from the river banks, to the commercial banks.
The fifth suspect is a security man in one of the banks targeted to be robbed,” Kyari alleged.
The commander, however, noted that the banks targeted were located in Lekki and Ajah areas of Lagos state.
He said that the suspects confessed to have chosen the targeted banks because of their proximity to the river banks.
“All suspects arrested have confessed to the planned robberies and confirmed that they were sent by America, their boss in the creeks, to survey the banks, together with the bank security man who allegedly brought the job to the militants.
“Also, America had fixed Thursday, June 1, as the date for the attack on the banks, before his boys were arrested by the IRT.
“The suspects are cooperating with detectives in the investigations,’’ Kyari added. (NAN)
MIO/AOM/PIO