FESTAC Robbery: Police Anti-bomb Squad Sweeps Banks For Fingerprints

As part of measures to close in on the 50-man heavily armed gang, who Tuesday stormed FESTAC Town and robbed Diamond and Access Banks, THISDAY on Wednesday gathered that the police had swiped the affected banks for fingerprints.

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To swipe the banks of fingerprints were the officials of theĀ  Lagos State Anti-bomb squad, who alongside other police personnel, concentrated on areas where the robbers went to.

Police sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, however expressed worry that the fingerprints they swiped might not lead them to the real culprits.

He said: ā€œItā€™s true we swiped for finger prints because the police is now driven by forensic technology, but our worry is that there were so many people in the banks when the robbery took place.

ā€œThe question is, what is the probability of isolating the fingerprints of the robbers? Another issue is that we donā€™t have a national data base of all Nigerians and their fingerprints.

ā€œSo, even if we eliminate the fingerprints and narrow it down, what database do we compare the collated fingerprints with? That is our cause of worry.ā€

THISDAY also gathered that a panel of inquiry would be instituted against the mobile policemen deployed to guard these banks.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Jospeh Offor, declined to confirm if the police had finally swiped for fingerprints.

He said: ā€œEven if they did, do you expect me to tell you they did? Donā€™t you know that divulging that will be prejudicial to investigation?ā€

Meanwhile, Mr. Peter Ndirika, the husband of the nurse and baby, Mrs. Jane and baby, Mmesoma, respectively, who were killed by stray bullets in their residence, yesterday said he was still in shock.

THISDAY gathered that the 14-month-old baby wasĀ  buried on Tuesday night at a mechanic village around Alakija, while the mother had been deposited at the Isolo General Hospital.

Recounting what transpired he said: ā€œWhen I got back home in the evening, I saw blood every where and I met people in the house and a girl cleaning blood.

ā€œWhen I got there, I saw my wife laying lifelessly and then I asked about my daughter? They told me that they have taken her to navy hospital at Satellite Town then I had to take my wife away from where she was and was taken to the Chosen hospital before she was later transferred to Alimosho General Hospital.ā€
ā€œIt was there that she was confirmed dead. I was still in the shocke.ā€
Buhari to Begin Cross River Super Highway on Tuesday
President Muhammadu Buhari will next Tuesday perform the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a 260-kilometre super highway being undertaken by the Cross River State Government.
The ceremony was initially billed for September 21.

The super highway is to serve as the evacuation route for the Bakassi Deep Seaport, a signature project of the Governor Ben Ayade-led administration in the state.

Meanwhile, there is excitement in the state, especially in the communities where the groundbreaking ceremony would be performed by the president.

In Obung Village in Akamkpa Local Government Area, the village head, Ntufam Boniface Edet and the youth president, Mr. Philip Ogar, expressed their communityā€™s delight that the president would be visiting.

Ogar said the super highway passing through his community would bring a lot of benefits to his people and other neighbouring communities.

He said the youths of his community and their neighbours were excited about the superhighway, and that they were happy with what the governor is doing.

He believes the multi-billion naira project will aggressively open up their area to development as many businesses will spring up, creating employment opportunities for the people, adding that every member of his community including the chiefs, elders, women and the youths are overwhelmingly hopeful and happy about the project.

The youth president commended the governor for his vision and drive, assuring that his community will support the governor and provide whatever assistance that would be required to ensure that the project is achieved.

Also speaking, an environmentalist attached to the project, Mr. Francis Njeni, disclosed that his responsibility is to take stock of all the different species of trees that would be cleared to give way for the road and would ensure the replanting of such species in accordance with the policy of the state government under Senator Ayade.

Njeni explained that for every tree that would be cleared two or three of such tree would be replanted.

Source: ThisdayLive