Abuja Bank Robbery: How I Was Recruited By Staff, Customer Opens Up

A customer, Ernest Ewim, on Friday revealed how he was recruited
into Abuja bank robbery, by a staff, Larry Ehizo.

A branch of First Bank in Mpape, an Abuja suburb was on
Saturday, December 28, 2019 invaded by a gang of armed robbers.

Ewim, who was initially rated as the mastermind, pointed
accusing fingers at the bank staff.

But Ewim admitted that he linked the gang with the bank staff
(Ehizo).

He said he went for a transaction in the bank when Ehizo struck
friendship with him.

Although he said he was initially suspicious of the sudden
friendship, Ehizo was persistent by tempting him with the prospect
of job in the bank.

He said Ehizo had offered the gang an alternative of robbing a
branch of First Bank in Mararaba in Nasarawa State but he said he
did not know the terrain.

Narrating how he met Ehizo and how the planning for the
operation went, Ewim said, “My name is Ernest Ewim, I bank with
First Bank. I had an issue with my account because sometimes my
boss pays my salary through transfer and I don’t receive alert. So
I went to the bank to lay complaint that I am not receiving alert.
He (Ehizo) was the one that attended to me. Larry was the one that
attended to me that day. He asked me what was the problem and I
said I could not receive alert in my account anymore. He now took
my details and checked and he told me the account was balance. I
now asked him what could be the cause and because I used to receive
alert before, so he checked and said the account was balanced but
he did not know what could cause it.

“I now asked him you are a bank worker how would you not know
how to work it. He now told me to drop my number that he would
check it and when he finishes, he would call me. I now said okay
and dropped my number with him and went to work. That day he did
not call me. So the next day I went to the bank and told him that I
did not see his call and the thing did not work. He now asked what
could be the thing causing it. I now said I should be the one
asking you. After much talk, he now sent me to one woman there that
I should go and meet the woman to check for me and the woman told
me the account is balanced and I went back to him and told him. And
he now said we should try my phone. That I should remove my battery
and put it back which I did. Not up to five minutes, I received
message from my phone, I checked and it was from First Bank I now
said thank God it is working now. I now thanked him and went back
to work.

“Three days later I received a phone call in the evening. The
person just called my name. A strange number called my name. I now
said who is this. He said his name was Larry, I did not know his
name that time. He said he was the guy that attended to me at the
bank. I now said ‘Bros what is the problem’. He said he would like
to see me that there was no problem. I told him right now I am at
work. He now asked me when I would close from work and I told him I
close late. That I close 12 in the night and he said okay that we
cannot see that day and I said okay. Two days later he called again
I asked where I was. I told him I was at work and he asked whether
he can see me. I said I don’t know if I should be chanced. I would
try, if there is no customer, we would close early. Later he called
back and I said I am still at work. Later he now called back and
said he has a work for me and it was not a phone talk and I now
said okay. On a good day when he came to meet me he now told me he
wanted people that would work for him in the bank.

“In my mind I was like I am still working. I now said which kind
of work. If it is the one that I would leave my former job, if they
would pay me higher I would go to the bank and work. I now said
which kind of work? It took him some minutes. I said he should tell
me and he said though he does not trust anybody, he does not know
why he wants to tell me. I said he should tell me. He said he wants
to attack the bank. That I should forget that his work is in the
bank also. I now said which bank? He now said First Bank in Mpape
or Maraba.

“He told me he would prefer the one in Maraba. I now told him
number one, since I have been in Abuja, I don’t know Maraba,
because I go to work early in the morning and close late. I told
him I don’t do this type of work if it is robbery case that I don’t
thief. He now asked if I know anybody that can do the job and I
told him no. As I am working in Katampe, I know this boy Prince
more than one year. I know him as a photographer, but I have heard
stories about him that he is a stubborn person. People said he is
stubborn, he fights and is a cultist and such things. I was even
afraid of him. But after sometime, that day he went to snap in a
party. He had his camera and I told him ‘Oga Prince, look at what
so and so person told me.’ He now asked of the number. He asked if
I have the number and I said I think so because the person called
me two days ago. I now checked for the number and he collected the
number from me. As he collected the number from me, that is how the
two of them started to communicate.

“They would come to my hotel to drink and I would serve them
drinks. So that Saturday they did the robbery, Larry called and
asked if I know how to drive and I said no. He now said if I know
anyone who can drive, I said yes, the person who carries me from
work knows how to drive and he said he wants to meet the person. I
said I was not with the person but I can call the person if he
wants. I now called the driver. I now called the person and he said
we should stop over at First Bank that he would see the guy. He now
called back and said I should give the phone to the person. I now
asked the driver what he said and he said he asked if he can drive
manual. That is all I know about the story. So I went to my own
work. (The Nation)