Heavily-armed police teams storm Osun to ‘stop potential bank robberies’
Police tactical teams have been deployed in Iwo and Ilesha in Osun state over fears that some robbers were planning to rob banks.
Some youths had stormed the Palace of the Oluwo of Iwo on Thursday to protest the heavy presence of the police tactical squads in the town on Thursday.
The protesters converged in front of the royal court of the Iwo monarch over possible harassment of youths by the security agents as there was tension in the town.
Iwo monarch Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi said the Police Headquarters from Abuja worked based on intelligence that Iwo and Ilesha might be next targets for assailants robbing banks, hence the heavy police presence.
The monarch said this was contingent upon robbery attacks that happened in Ikire barely two weeks ago where lives were lost.
The traditional ruler debunked the information that the police teams were from the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
“They are police not SARS personnel,” he told Sahara Reporters.
“A bank was robbed like last two weeks or so, and many people were killed by these armed robbers in Ikire.
“The police thought they might be targeting other places, so they deployed some tactical teams from Abuja.
“Even Abba Kyari’s tactical team was involved and they said Iwo might be their next target because there are many banks here. So they talked about Iwo and Ilesha.
“The youths thought they were SARS because they have not experienced that kind of heavy tactical teams of police before. They were afraid thinking their presence would lead to harassment.
“So, that was why they staged a protest at my palace yesterday morning,” the monarch said.
He also said the police thanked him for allaying the fears of the youths over the heavy police presence.
