Osun Bank Robbers Threw Explosives Into My Palace, Fired Bullets At Mosque – Monarch

The Akire of Ikireland in Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Olatunde Falabi, has narrated how he, his chiefs and workers escaped death when armed robbers who attacked a bank in the community threw dynamites into his palace and fired shots at a mosque located within the premises.

THE WHISTLER’s correspondent who visited the palace observed that there were bullet holes on the gate.

The monarch, who spoke to our correspondent through one of his chiefs who doubles as his spokesperson, Muritala Falana, said the bullets hit the roof and the window of the mosque located inside the palace.

He, however, explained that nobody was injured despite the volley of bullets and three dynamites thrown into the premises even though there were people in the palace during the attack.

Falana, while conducting our correspondent round the palace, said three dynamites were thrown into the palace. He said he did not know why the palace was always being attacked by hoodlums.

Falana said the hoodlums also attacked the police station in the town and killed some policemen.

The armed robbers also invaded another bank in the neighbuoring town of Apomu in Isokan Local Government Area of the state.

Falana said, “We thank God that nobody was injured or killed by the dynamites and bullets fired into the palace. They shot inside the palace, they shot at the gate and the bullets hit the mosque over there.

“I cannot say whether the operation was successful or not because I was not at any of the banks when the robbers came. Those working in the banks will know whether they stole money from the bank or not.

“Similar attacks happened in 2012 and 2014. A branch of Afribank which became Polaris Bank in the town  was attacked. Also, in 2014, they attacked First Bank and killed one person.

“The number of weapons in wrong hands is too much and the government must mop up the weapons from them to reduce crime. The number of weapons in wrong hands is more that the number of weapons in the hands of security agents.”

He called on the Federal Government to allow Amotekun corps to carry sophisticated weapons in order to be effective in their task.

Residents of Ikire town were still in shock as at the time our correspondent visited the town. Some of the shops and kiosks near the bank did not open for business as at Thursday because of fear.

Meanwhile, the police have begun investigation into the robbery incident.  Our correspondent saw armed policemen inspecting the damage done to the buildings at the First Bank branch. They were also seen asking bank officials questions but did not allow journalists to gain access into the bank premises.

At Access Bank in Apomu, there were no obvious signs that the place was attacked, but the bank was closed to customers.

Bank officials seen there declined to talk to our correspondent but one of them said they were moving to another branch nearby to continue offering services to their customers.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Osun State, Mrs Yemisi Opalola, who confirmed the bank robbery in a statement, had said four policemen were felled by the hoodlums’ bullets and three civilians were also killed.