13th November, 2012
MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano
There was pandemonium on Tuesday at the WAPA Bureau De Change in Fagge area of Kano, northwest Nigeria when gunmen suspected to be armed robbers stormed the market on four motor bikes, killing one person and injuring many.
They also carted away an unspecified sums of money in local and foreign currencies.
Tuesday’s attack followed another incident at Kawu area of the city during which a young barber was killed, and two persons wounded.
Security agencies believe Tuesday’s attack on WAPA money market could be an insider’s job.
Though details of the raid were sketchy as at press time, P.M.NEWS was reliably informed that prior to this attack on the Bureau De Change, security in the environment had been high, until leaders of the Fagge Bureau De Change Association reportedly wrote to the Police authorities, demanding the withdrawal of the Mobile Police men that had been on duty around the area on the grounds that their presence constituted an impediment to their business.
The state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Idris, also confirmed the request for the withdrawal of his men by the market association, adding that it was done in writing.
He said no fewer than 15 armed Mobile Police men were on duty at the Fagge Bureau De Change, until they were asked to be withdrawn. He added that he succumbed to their request because the WAPA environment was not a convention business place, but more of living homes, especially when a women was said to have lost her pregnancy on sighting the armed men.
According to eyewitness account, the suspected robbers stormed the Bureau De Change in four motor-bikes which they used through the narrow path-ways, adding that the motorcycles were brought by a truck which stopped at one point around the area as a result of the narrow passage, and at that point, the motor bikes were put into use, while one car with which they fled was on stand-by in an obscure place.
The state Commissioner of Police added that a full-scale investigation has been launched to unravel the mystery surrounding the operation.