Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A member of staff of First Bank Nigeria, Mr Larry Ehizo, has been paraded by police over his alleged involvement in the botched robbery at the Mpape, Abuja branch of the financial institution last Saturday.
Until the incident, which was foiled by the combined efforts of security agents comprising the police, military and the secret police fondly called the DSS, Mr Ehizo worked at the bank as a Customer Service Officer.
Speaking when he was paraded by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, Mr Ehizo claimed one of the masterminds of the robbery, one Ernest, who is at large, had threatened to kill him, his girlfriend and his family if he did not help them rob the bank.
According to the 30-year-old 2014 graduate of Political Science from the University of Abuja, he drove the five robbers into the bank premises in his vehicle under duress.
“I met a friend (Ernest) in November and we had a discussion where we used to hang out. We almost had a serious argument after he complained about our services at First Bank. I tried to calm him down, but he was very furious, threatening not to bank with us again.
“He, thereafter, said he was going to hurt someone, but I told him not to do that, saying the worst he could do was not to do business with our bank again and possibly rob the bank. I never knew he took the second suggestion seriously. He used that to threaten me that I must allow his guys easy access into the banking hall for robbery.
“He went as far as threatening my family, myself and even the people around me, including my girlfriend. I was afraid to report this matter to the police because he warned me not to try such, threatening to kill me and others with the help of his friends, who he said were cultists.
“During the planning, he said he was going to give his friends N7 million and then promised to give me 20 percent of whatever we make from the deal, but I told him I wanted nothing from him. He insisted that I must collect it.
“I am a Customer Service Officer. I have been with the bank for over two years. If I had gone to the police, I would not have been here talking now. Members of my family also would not be. He knows my family house and knows where I stay personally at Mpape.
“When he brought his friends to me, I still begged him, but he insisted on robbing the bank. On the day of the attack, he said I should put them in my car for easy access into the bank. He even followed me to the premises. He waited to see when we entered inside and he immediately called me and I did everything out of fear of not dying and not having anyone dying because of me.
“Ernest is a customer at the bank. He comes around. There is a place I go to hang out in Mpape. He is a barman there. He sells drinks,” Mr Ehizo narrated.
One of the robbery suspects, Mr Princewill Obinna, said they did not expect to encounter any difficulty as they were assured by Ernest and Ehizo that the operation was going to be smooth.
“I was among those people that robbed the bank. It happened that Mr Larry invited us. Mr Ernest met us and told us there was a job we wanted us to do, but that he would connect us to the person with the operation.
“I asked him who the person was and called and introduced us to Mr Larry, who told us that there was an event that he wanted us to carry out because Ernest had been troubling him about it.
“He said he and Ernest have the background and survey of the job and that they would guide us on how to go about it, promising that it would be without stress and be completed within some minutes.
“I asked what the deal was about and he said it was a bank. I was shocked and said I have never done such job before. He said we should not worry that there was a tinted vehicle that would take us in without people noticing us. He asked if I knew some persons that could help us and I introduced them to other members of the gang.
“They also never wanted to do it, but we all agreed at the end of the day. That was how we came to find ourselves there.
“The message came to me on Tuesday that the operation was on Saturday. They promised to give us N7 million to share. I coordinated the other boys.
“The ammunition we took there was a local pistol that our late friend (robber who was shot) brought. He said he would be the one to stand at the gate and that I should hold this one and threaten the Mobile policeman,” he said.
