The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered a full-scale manhunt of an armed robbery gang that killed eight police officers and one woman in Kogi State.
The gang used a dynamite to bomb a police station in Isanlu community, Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi, on Thursday, June 4, 2020, killing the eight officers; and then proceeded to rob an old generation bank branch in the community.
During the attack on the bank, they killed a woman who had been there for business and then robbed the bank after gaining entrance with dynamite.
Many more civilians are reported to have been killed during the attack but an official death toll has not been announced yet.
In a statement released by the Police on Friday, June 5, IGP Adamu deployed a team of crack detectives from the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), the Special Tactical Squad (STS), and Federal-SARS to Kogi State to ensure that the criminals are apprehended and brought to book.
He also ordered the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police in charge of the Zone 8 Police Headquarters, Lokoja, Yunana Babas, to immediately assess and review the security arrangement in Kogi and surrounding areas so as to prevent any future occurrence of such an incident.
"The AIG is to personally oversee the ongoing investigations into the attack and coordinate intelligence that will lead to unearthing the whereabouts of the hoodlums and the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident," the statement read.
The IGP condoled the families of those who lost their lives in the attack, and called for calm in the community, and cooperation with authorities.
The vicious attack is similar to one that happened two years ago in Offa, Kwara when a gang of robbers attacked six banks and a police station on April 5, 2018.
Nine police officers and 24 others lost their lives during the attack that was partly masterminded by Michael Adikwu, a former SARS officer.
More than 20 suspects were arrested in connection to the attack. Adikwu died in detention before he could be charged to court with others.
