Encomium
ENCOMIUM Weekly also visited the canal which the robbers reportedly used to escape after carting away millions of naira from the two banks – Diamond and Access banks; and found it gated and locked. And according to residents of the area, the canal which links 4th and 6th avenues, has been abandoned and has not been used for a long time, hence the reason it is locked. They, however, confirmed that the robbers escaped through the canal.
Meanwhile, the Access Bank branch that was hit by the robbers has resumed normal operations after renovation; while the Diamond Bank branch just a few blocks away remains under lock.
A visit to the scene showed that the police yellow ribbon with “crime scene, do not cross” barred entrance.
Sequel to the attack, banks in the whole area, extending even to 5th avenue and beyond, now place a stern No okada within this area, Order by Police warning in front of their premises.
‘Investigation is still ongoing, but we’re yet to make any arrests’ – Joe Offor, Lagos Police Public Relations Officer
What’s the latest on the investigation into the Festac robbery?
The investigation is still ongoing, but so far we’re yet to make any arrest.
Some reports claim the police have the phones of some of the bank staff, how true is that?
If in the cause of investigation investigators need to get some facts to ascertain the role bank staff played, they could get that through their phones, if anything like that happened.
Is it likely that insider information aided the attacks on the banks?
We can’t go into that for the sake of not jeopardising the investigation. Even if anything like that happened, it’s too early to be in public domain.
The Police yellow ribbon with crime scene, do not cross still barricades one of the banks, while the other one has resumed operation, why’s that?
That’s up to the bank, whenever they are ready to resume business, they will tell us and we’ll remove it. It really has nothing to do with us.
-MICHAEL NWOKIKE
