Otukpo bank robbery: Appoint Security Adviser – Benue Assembly gives Alia 72 hours ultimatum
Governor Hyacinth Alia has been given a 72-hour deadline by the Benue State House of Assembly to select a Special Adviser on Security.
The ultimatum is a result of the purported inability to contact the state’s security services in time to respond to the bank heist at Otukpo.
The MPs’ ultimatum came as a result of a motion made by Angbo Kennedy, the congressman for Otukpo-Akpa State Constituency, in which he asked, among other things, that all resorts and hotels establish a mandatory ledger on every visitor, install CCTV cameras, and enhance security measures.
Aondona Dajoh, the Speaker, ordered the governor a three-day deadline to designate a security adviser in order to maintain peace and order by coordinating state security problems in conjunction with the security agencies.
While recounting the terrifying ordeal, one of the MPs, Godwin Edoh, who managed to flee the Otukpo bank robbery, bemoaned his inability to contact any government officials because there was no real Security Adviser.
The bank robbery, in the legislator’s opinion, has exposed holes in the state’s security framework.
He reported that on Friday, October 20, about 30 armed robbers rode motorcycles into Otukpo town.
He claims that after robbing locals of their working vehicles, the assailants opened fire on security guards at the Otukpo Divisional Police Headquarters, killing the DPO and three female policemen.
The lawmaker saw that the criminals carried out simultaneous robberies, carnage, and mayhem for more than an hour without being confronted or facing any opposition. They used dynamite to blow off the entrances to four commercial banks.
The House denounced the robbery event in its resolution.
The resolution further reads,
“That the security agencies should without delay establish the immediate and remote causes of the attack and fish out the perpetrators of the carnage.
“The state government should set up a trust fund to help families and victims of violent attacks across the state with a view to offsetting medical and burial expenses.
“That another police station be established in Otukpo township to support emergency response.
“That the state through the ministries of Health and and Humanitarian and Disaster Management provide at least two fully equipped ambulances to all 23 local government areas to help in emergency time.
“And that all hotels must mandatorily keep a ledger for all entries and exits of its customers with surveillance systems.”