The sanctity and serenity of the palace of the paramount ruler of Minna, the Niger State capital, was Tuesday breached following the shooting of two palace guards and carting away of the staff salaries by armed men.
Minna, the capital to Nigeria’s largest state, is home to two former heads of state – Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar – and many retired generals; while the State itself has been a hotbed of terrorism, banditry and other forms of criminality for over seven years. These have been largely restricted to other axes, but Tuesday’s armed robbery came as a shock to many residents of the state capital.
The daredevil robbers on stormed the palace of the Emir of Minna, Dr. Umar Farouk Bahago, and took off with an undisclosed sums of money.
State Governor, Mohammed Bago, has given marching orders to the security forces to fish out the perpetrators of the crime.
His spokesman, Mr. Bologi Ibrahim, described the attack as the height of disregard to traditional institution, adding that the state chief executive said government would not fold its hands and allow criminals inflict pains and sorrow on innocent residents.
“It is highly unfortunate to have this kind of situation not just in the state capital but at the the Emir’s Palace.
“My administration will not condone this act. I charge the security agencies to investigate and fish out the criminals with a view to prosecuting them”, he quoted the governor as saying.
Details were sketchy on the incident, but many suspect the cashier of the palace was followed from a commercial bank in Minna where he had gone to withdraw the money meant for the payment of the palace staff salaries.
The incident was said to have occurred at exactly 4:30pm when the gunmen numbering about four in a car with tinted glasses blocked the entrance gate of the palace.
Two palace guards were shot by the gunmen and are in critical condition at a government facility in Minna.
A statement was still being expected from the palace but the state police command confirmed the robbery incident.
According to the police command public relation officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun “a gang of about five armed robbers reportedly trailed Minna palace cashier with a Toyota Camry vehicle from a commercial bank where he went to withdraw some amount of money.
“He was blocked at the palace gate, and the robbers fired some gunshots in the air, while they forcefully took the money from him and escaped from the scene”
He disclosed that the cashier has been taken in for questioning as investigations continue.
