Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti
Following bank robbery operation that shook Otun Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State to its foundation on Thursday, more policemen have been deployed to major Ekiti highways to conduct stop and search on vehicles.
Robbers, numbering 35, on Thursday besieged two new generation banks in the town and killed a bank manager and three other persons at different locations in the community.
Among those killed was a bride groom-to-be guard working in the palace of Oore of Moba land , Oba Adedapo Popoola.
The State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, had while commiserating with the people of the town on Friday promised that security will be beefed up along major highways across the state to prevent reoccurrence of such a nefarious act.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Etop James, also promised that the perpetrators of the dastardly act will be apprehended soon and made to face the full weight of the law.
On Saturday, those traveling into Ado Ekiti from Osun State via Efon
Alaaye, and those from Kwara via Otun Ekiti and the people from Ondo
State through Ikere , had a hectic day, as the policemen stationed on
those roads conducted thorough searches on vehicles .
In most cases, the policemen asked the motorists to open the booths of
their cars while also ransacking the vehicles in search for weapons
and other lethal rifles that can be used for robbery.
One of the motorists, who spoke under anonymity, told THISDAY that the robbery operation in Otun Ekiti caused the new trend and change of security patterns in the state.
The driver called on the police to sustain the action , describing it as the best way to curtail the rising wave of crime , particularly armed banditry in the state.
“Though, this action may waste our time on the road, but it remains the best way to checkmate robbery. How can robbers storm a whole town and kill four persons. This is unacceptable in a civilised society. We want to commend the police for taking this proactive measure. We cannot fold our arms and allow the evil doers to take over the system”, he said.
Efforts made to reach out to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alberto Adeyemi to comment on the new security architecture was not successful.
But Adeyemi, while reacting to the killings in Otun Ekiti on Thursday, said the command will reorganise security in the state to be able to rise to the present challenge.
