A young man, whose identity is yet to be established, yesterday entered the Dadinkowa branch of a commercial bank in Jos South local government area of Plateau State with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), demanding N100 million from the bank.
He threatened to detonate the device if his demand was not met.
A member of staff of the bank, who doesn’t want his name mentioned, confirmed the incident to LEADERSHIP.
He said the incident occurred when the staff members of the bank were attending to customers.
He said the suspect approached a frontline teller, pretending to withdraw money, but instead dropped a note for the attendant, claiming that he had an IED strapped to his body and would detonate it if his demand was not met.
According to him, “Understanding the demand of the suspect, the bank teller quickly communicated the development to his supervisor who promptly alerted the bank security to open the emergency exit for people to go out. Thereafter, the customers were alerted to leave the banking hall for their safety.
“Realising that the customers had started running out of the bank, he joined them but was arrested by the bank’s security guards who later called in the Anti-bomb Squad of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). On their arrival, they took him to Rantya Police Station for further investigation,” the bank staff narrated.
It was believed that the suspect was able to enter the banking hall because the IED attached to his body was fake, allowing him to bypass the mantrap door undetected.
According to the state police commissioner Emmanuel Adesina, the suspect handed over a note to the cashier demanding for the sum of N100million under the threat that the explosives would be detonated if his request is not granted.
According to him, “Yesterday at about 12 pm, the command received a distress call from UBA Sparkling Junction, Dadin Kowa, reporting a suspected armed robber.”
The CP pointed out that the bank attendant immediately reported to the manager of the bank who swiftly reported to the police at Rantya Division and evacuated the customers from the bank.
He added that the suspect on sighting the police vehicle, panicked and started running out of the bank and in the process, his men posted to the bank saw him running and pursued him with the help of the youths in the area and he was arrested.
The CP further said the case is currently under investigation at the state CID, to ascertain the validity of his claims and to also arrest some of his accomplices.
The situation created panic around the area with many residents scampering for safety.
