Bullion vans on target: Redefining architecture of metropolitan security against high profile robbery
Robbery in Nigeria has become an albatross. A concept of long time mayhem in the Country, the phenomenon has lasted overtime expanding to assume waving and disturbing dimensions. From petty range of pilfering to high profile coordinated operations involving armed robbery, the subject has become a brand of mayhem in the scourging profile of insecurity in the Country.
Armed robbery in the Country has been known, by its character, to feature hardened aggression which records bellicose attacks by the modus operandi of its perpetrators. High profile cases have been seen, in critical times, to occasion opening of fire on any form of obstacles to the agenda of the perpetrators. Accounts have recorded actual gunshots claiming the lives of innocent victims. Such may come from deliberate shots at targets, while there are others who unfortunately suffer the fate of stray shots by sporadic spree of bullets released by robbing gunmen. The mishap, at some point, may be borne by gun duel with security operatives, while at some other event for open air operation, borne by the attempt to scare persons within the premise of operation to get their deal done. Gun duels with security operatives have in several instances occasioned casualties on the part of the later.
The sophisticated weapons wielded by robbers have seen the perpetrators at the height of assault overpowering security formations, particularly the police. It has now become a often told tale of how police operatives would steer clear from robbery scene or ignore emergency call to intervene with prompt alacrity needed. Tales have been told of instances where on the intelligence of robbery operations, police operatives at the nearest post to the place of operation, would desert their post. Such disposition has been linked to excuses of poor weapons to combat sophisticated brands wielded by operatives. At some critical points, arguments have been raised over the poor welfare of police operatives, anchored on the question on whether risking their life in gun duels with robbers is justifiable with the poor condition which the rank and file of the police force largely available at patrol and security posts, are exposed to.
Recently, it now appears that robbers are having their feast days of operating with upper hand. Overpowering and discomfitting police operatives have now become much resonating. One form of high profile armed robbery operations gaining momentum with recurring narratives, is targets on money bearing bullion vans. The overpowering of security escort accompanying the money van to effect the operations, have been known to be deadly, occasioning casualties on the part of the security operatives on instances where armed robbers finalise their operation by overpowering security escorts.
On Thursday was another event of armed robbery attack on a bullion van transporting money to a bank at Idi-Ape in Ibadan, North East Local Government area of Oyo state, killing three police officers and four others. Details of reports narrated that the armed robbers, who were said to have dressed in police uniform, trailed the van to Idi-Ape and, tried unsuccessfully to intercept the bullion van at the area. As reported, the robbers allegedly fired several shots at the escort van in a bid to intercept the van and cart away the money. While unconfirmed report said the robbers were not able to loot the van as the driver managed to escape with the van, manhunt for the fleeing robbers have not proven successful.
Earlier in January, Thursday 27th, 2022, suspected armed robbers, UGHELLI – attacked a bullion van around Otor-Owhe, Isoko North Local Government Area, carting away, an undisclosed sum of money. Narrative of reports revealed the gunmen emptied the content of the bullion van into their branded vehicle and zoomed off to an unknown destination. Report revealed the gunmen had shot sporadically at the bullion, shattering its windscreen which forced its driver to a halt. In reaction to the incident, Police Public Relations Officer of the State, command, Mr. Bright Edafe had said; “No money was carted away during the billion van attack, as the bullion van was empty. The hoodlums escaped with gunshot injuries after a gun duel with our men.”
Last August, 25th, 2021, an attack on a bullion van in Ondo was recorded. The State Police Command confirming the attack which took place in the Costain axis of the commercial town of Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state by gunmen had confirmed the killing of the bullion van driver and a policeman during the attack. Report revealed the dare-devil armed robbers opened fire on the bullion van which was carrying an undisclosed amount of money accompanied by a police escort. The attack occured barely two weeks after a bullion van was also attacked in the Emure-Ile axis of the State by suspected armed robbers.
The spate of robbery attacks with assault on security aided vans reflect how high the affront of coordinated robbery is gaining momentum across the Country. The orientation which such assault passes across is a bad omen for peace and order. The resultant ripple effects would, to a far length, further embolden criminal tendencies to form illicit formations of criminal gang to foist mayhem in the society. As observed, such despicable unleashing of mayhem on the society would cluster with strings of aggression to further heighten insecurity in the Country. The clustering of such criminal tendencies has the proclivity to reflect anarchy in the Country, where as observed, life may assume the primitive state of conditions where life is defined to be crude with the atmosphere of unsavoury conditions of life being poor, short, brutish, and nasty.
It has become of imperative sacrosanct for the Government to, as a matter necessity, redefine the system of metropolitan security architecture, particularly across commercial cities where the scourge of such despicable operations as robbery attacks on bullion van, are attracting worrying dimensions.
