Posted by FROM KELVIN EBIRI, PORT HARCOURT on
ARMED men in speedboats yesterday invaded South Korean conglomerate, Daewoo Engineering and Construction Company, Aban Base in Okrika Local Government Council, Rivers State and carted away over N40 million meant for workers' salaries.
ARMED men in speedboats yesterday invaded South Korean conglomerate, Daewoo Engineering and Construction Company, Aban Base in Okrika Local Government Council, Rivers State and carted away over N40 million meant for workers' salaries.
The attack is coming barely four days after gunmen, dressed in military uniform, stormed the premises of Italian multinational, Nigeria Agip Oil Company in Port Harcourt, robbed two banks and killed nine persons including seven anti-riot policemen stationed at the company.
The gunmen had also invaded Agip through its jetty and escaped through the Eagle Island creeks. There has been no arrest on that incident.
In the instant case, about 20 heavily armed men came through the Okrika creeks and arrived at the Daewoo jetty in five speedboats and shot their way into the premises.
Sources told The Guardian that the men, who wore the company's internal security uniform, as a disguise went straight into the office of the company's cashier and the accountant, who were supposed to be overseeing the payment of workers' January salaries at the base.
The men, armed with sophisticated guns, reportedly fired live bullets indiscriminately in a bid to instil awe in the workers, who were awaiting their salaries for the month. The panic-stricken workers ran to safety.
Having succeeded in chasing the away the workers at the base, the gunmen went into the office of the Chief Accountant, where they instructed the few workers in the department to lie face down or get killed.
The Guardian gathered that the gunmen inflicted injury on some persons before carting away over N40 million. The Police said yesterday that there were no casualties but this could not be independently confirmed.
After collecting the money, the gunmen began to fire gunshots, as they headed back towards the jetty. Apparently unchallenged, they arrived at their steaming speedboats and dashed off into the creeks.
It was learnt that the stolen money was withdrawn since Thursday and kept in the company's premises. In a telephone interview last night, a police source said that the Police Command was not aware that such huge amount was kept at the Daewoo base.
Confirming yesterday's robbery, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Ireju (DSP) told The Guardian that the company's Chief Accountant had been arrested and that full investigation aimed at unravelling those behind the attack had begun.
She said the Chief Accountant was being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Port Harcourt, on suspicion that insiders might have connived with the suspected robbers to steal the money.
"The police is suspecting foul play. The said money was withdrawn since last Thursday and kept in the company premises without any notification to the police for possible beefing up of security. The accountant has been arrested and he is being interrogated by the CID," she said.
She disclosed that a team of policemen and naval officials have been patrolling the creeks in search of the gunmen. So far, there has been no arrest.