Uromi bank attacks: Anenih reacts as gunmen hit First Bank, 3 others in Edo

A House of Representatives aspirant for Esan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency of Edo State, under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Osei Anenih, Friday, condemned deadly armed robbery attack on banks in Uromi, headquarters of Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

Anenih said there is no pursuit that is worth taking the life of any human being, and he condemned the robbery attack, which he described as barbaric killings, and the culprits should face the full wrath of the law.

On Thursday, there were coordinated armed robbery attacks carried out on some commercial banks in Uromi, headquarters of Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, which led to the killing of two policemen on duty and five civilians.

He also said the attack is a wrong signal to those living in the town as their lives were not safe despite the presence of security agents in the community.
He said: “My heart goes out to the immediate families of the dead and the entire Uromi community over the callous robbery attack that has devastated our community.

“There is no pursuit that is worth taking the life of any human being. These barbaric killings of innocent people must not go unpunished, and I want to urge the Police to respond swiftly to apprehend the killers.”
Also as a man who is close to his people and the founder of OASIS Foundation, went on the spot to assess the situation and meet with the victims’ families.

However, he called for inclusion of state police in the ongoing constitution review for efficient policing and security services.
“A swift local response to local challenges, which must be accommodated in the ongoing constitutional review, because it is heart-wrenching that the state, and Nigeria at large have been crippled by rising insecurity.

“I believe that this is a result of not just an absence of morality and conscience in these criminals; but also a failure of our current security architecture to curtail the excesses of these criminals.
“My position on the need to decentralise police operations in Nigeria with the creation of State Police is well documented.

“The only way we can successfully fight crime locally is to adopt the most effective strategy of local policing with local and community members in charge of securing their community through State Police.”

He further stated that, “Nigeria today needs to restructure our security framework. State governors need to be able to control their own local state police forces.

“Regional security networks like Amotekun need to be given legislative teeth to combat armed bandits successfully.

“As a matter of urgency, Nigerians must realise that we cannot continue to use ineffective tactics to address the rising crimes in our country.

“So while we mourn the innocent victims who lost their lives, I want to plead with the President and the National Assembly to accede to our demands for the creation of state police”, he stated.