The Nigeria Police Force has vowed to deal decisively with all persons directly or indirectly linked to the recent armed robbery attack in Offa, Kwara state where many lives were reportedly lost and undisclosed cash was carted away from about five commercial banks.
Speaking on the backdrop of wide speculation that the DCO and DPO of Offa police station, where the robbery took place, allegedly failed to take action before the armed robbers struck, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Kwara state police command, Ajayi Okasanmi, said that both civilians and uniformed men linked to the incident would not go scot-free.
The PPRO, who said that investigation was still going on the attack, added that the police was determined to get to the root of the perennial robbery cases in the ancient town towards finding a lasting solution.
When asked about whereabouts of the police officers allegedly linked to the robbery, Okasanmi said that investigation was already going on, "whether civilian or police, whoever is found culpable would be dealt with accordingly".
Speculation was rife on how and why the DPO and DCO of the Offa police station were not affected in a robbery incident where nine policemen were confirmed killed by the hoodlums.
It was also said that the armed robbers only collected phones of the two police officers and allowed them to escape from the scene of the robbery attack.
This is just as management of one of the five commercial banks that was attacked during the bank raid, allegedly sacked five of its staff last Friday for releasing CCTV video of the robbery scene to public.
A reliable source in the bank said that the management saw the release of the CCTV footage without official approval as gross indiscipline, capable of affecting security and image of the bank.
So far, 21 suspects, including 12 primary suspects, one hotel proprietor, four staff of the hotel and four lodgers, have been arrested in connection with the Offa robbery.
The hotel owner, the staff and the lodgers were arraigned at Ilorin magistrate court last week, while the 12 primary suspects paraded at the Force headquarters, Abuja, are yet to be arraigned.