Armed robbers invade ministry in Nasarawa, ‘cart away N100m’

Gunmen believed to be armed robbers have reportedly catered away N100 million from the Nasarawa State Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning.

The office is adjacent to that of the State Accountant General, where there are many security personnel.

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An eyewitness, who sought anonymity, said suspected armed robbers trailed officials of the ministry from a commercial bank in Lafia, the state capital, where they went to withdraw cash to pay casual workers.

The eyewitness said: “But it was in the ministry’s premises that the well-armed gunmen snatched the N100 million from the finance ministry’s officials while trying to dislodge the cash from the vehicle that was conveying it to the cash room.

“In the process of snatching the said amount of money, the gunmen shot sporadically in the air that the ministry’s officials carrying the money and other staff of the ministry within the premises laid down low paving the way for the gunmen to snatch the N100 million effortlessly.”

He said the robbery was successful because the ministry did not engage the services of security agencies.

The State’s Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning, Mr Haruna Ogbole, who confirmed the robbery incident in a telephone interview, said investigation was ongoing.