TheCable

Ibrahim Idris, the inspector-general of police, has ordered the deployment of three units of police mobile force, high powered police investigation team and armoured personnel carriers to Kwara.

Armed robbers attacked five commercial banks in Offa, Kwara on Thursday, killing 30 persons.

Jimoh Moshood, force spokesman, in a statement in Abuja on Sunday said anti-robbery equipment and 10 crew members were also deployed to the state.

Moshood said three additional PMF units were also deployed to Taraba to prevent further attacks in Donga and Bali local government areas by gunmen.

He said the units which had arrived Kwara would cover Offa and its environs as well as other vulnerable points in the state.

The spokesman added that the police teams would carry out intelligence gathering and raids on identified criminal and other flash points in the states.

He said the team deployed to Kwara, working in synergy with the state criminal intelligence and investigation department had arrested eight suspects connected with the bank robbery.

The force spokesman said the unit deployed to Taraba would cover Donga, Bali, Lau, Gassol, Karim Lamido local government areas and other flash points in the state.

Moshood said the team had also arrested 12 suspects directly responsible for the recent killings in Donga and Bali.

He said items recovered from the suspects included seven AK 47 rifles, four locally made revolver pistols and 30 rounds of AK 47 ammunition.

Others were seven operational vehicles used by the armed robbers and assailants in the two incidents.

Moshood called on the residents of the states to be calm, supportive of the police and promptly report suspicious acts or persons to the nearest police detachment or station for prompt action.