There was complete pandemonium, last Friday, in the ancient town of Otukpo, the South District of Benue state town, nick-named “Texas” by residents. That day, daredevil armed men in a commando fashion stormed five commercial banks in the town in a manner never seen before by residents of the town.
Also on the list of those who were felled by the bullets of the armed men were the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Township Ward 1 Chairman, Mr. George Uloko, a staff of UBA, Emmanuel Uche who recently joined the bank after having completed his Youth Service. Security usually breaks down in any state where the government doesn’t fully back the police. police sources in Benue say the new government has not invested in them.It was, however, gathered that the gang had not gone far when the military and other security agencies gave them a hot chase and intercepted them before neighbouring Taraku in Gwer Local Government Area, LGA, where an exchange of gunfire ensued.
More Police teams, in collaboration with other security agents, were deployed to Otukpo to assist in stabilizing the area and prevent these robbers from escaping.“The robbers who were intercepted along Otukpo-Taraku road engaged officers in a gun duel and two of the robbers died in the process. Other gang members abandoned their vehicles and escaped into the forest area and are being chased by the police.
At this time, everyone started wailing and running. Even a customer who came to buy some goods in my shop that afternoon had his car badly damaged by the explosives. He ran and left his car in front of my shop.