Posted by From Charles Onyekamuo in Awka on
The Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Anambra State Governor, Mr. Ogbonna Okoronkwo, at the weekend foiled what would have passed as the biggest haul for suspected armed robbers in the state had they escaped with an estimated sum of N20 million which governmentofficials cashed at the Guardian Express Bank in Awka.
The Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Anambra State Governor, Mr. Ogbonna Okoronkwo, at the weekend foiled what would have passed as the biggest haul for suspected armed robbers in the state had they escaped with an estimated sum of N20 million which governmentofficials cashed at the Guardian Express Bank in Awka.
The incident, This Day gathered, occurred after the state Government Accountant, Mr. Titus Okafor and his official driver, one Mr. Hilary Okonkwo had cashed the money which they loaded in the boot of the car and began to head towards the governor's lodge. But they noticed within just 10 metres out of the bank's premises that they were being trailed by a gang of four young men in a Mercedes Benz car - a situation that made the accountant to put a call through from the official 406 Peugeot car in which they were driving to the CSO's mobile phone, alerting him of the content of the car, his suspicion and fears.
But as he finished making the call, he made a detour from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Avenue Awka, which was a straight road to the Governor's lodge to Works Road, only for the suspected robbers to be trailing them; thus confirming his fears, and the necessity for another hurried call to the CSO who at this time had assured the accountant that he had mobilized and that they were already on their way.
But as the accountant and his driver got to the Works road- Dike junction and veered towards Obunagu road, the suspected robbers had approached considerably. The Accountant and the driver it was learnt had to abandon the vehicle at the middle of Obunagu road and scampered into the nearby bush. But the robbers were unlucky because as they alighted from their car clutching guns, and strolling towards the 406 car to ostensibly empty the content of the booth, a furiously driven security car in which Ogbonna and other security aides were trailing them was also within close and releasing gunshots. The robbers on sighting the security men, chickened out and hurriedly jumped into their vehicle and sped off according to an eyewitness.
A highly placed government official who spoke on condition of anonymity to This Day in Awka at the weekend said the accountant and the driver were sent to cash the money by Ngige's Principal Secretary, Emma Nwosu. The money he said was meant for the clearance of arrears of leave allowances owed some category of workers and expressed the fear that the suspected robbers may have been tipped from within.
He commended the CSO for acting promptly, noting that were it not for his immediate response, the alleged robbers would have had time to escape with the money. He nonetheless urged Ngige to beef up security with a view to ensuring that government official vehicles and their occupants do not fall prey to merciless hoodlums.
The situation he noted had been worse in neighbouring Enugu state where he said robbers had ceaselessly attacked official government vehicles and their occupants in the past two months or thereabout.
The CSO, a Deputy Superintendent of Police confirmed the incident, while the Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Mr. Kolapo Shofoluwe said the attempted robbery had come to their notice and that the police had spread their dragnet with a view to nabbing the fleeing suspected armed robbers.