Arrest of barman involved in Abuja bank robbery reveals banker as mastermind

Following the arrest of the man previously touted to be the alleged mastermind of the failed robbery at the First Bank in Mpape, a suburb in Abuja, has led to a revelation that it was actually the bank’s Customer Service Officer, Mr. Larry Ehizo, that is the mastermind.
Ehizo himself recanted his earlier position where he weaved a story of how Ernest blackmailed him into leading armed robbers to the bank.

“It was all a lie to save my myself,” Ehizo said as he confirmed to journalists, at a police parade in Abuja on Thursday, that Ernest’s story that he (Ehizo) commissioned him to recruit a driver for the robbery operation is the true version.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command announced the arrested of the alleged mastermind of the foiled robbery last Saturday.
Ernest, a barman, was arrested at his hideout by police detectives.
The arrest brings to five the number of suspects picked so far. The fifth, Patrick, was shot dead during the robbery operation.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, had on Tuesday paraded the gang members including Larry Ehizo, 30; Timothy Joe, 21; Princewill Obinna, 24; and Elijah David, 19.
Ehizo who allegedly drove the gang members to the bank had earlier claimed he was blackmailed by Ernest to carry out the heist.
But David said Ehizo informed the gang members that the robbery would lead to an harvest of N7 million.
19 years old David said, “Mr Larry told us that the job could fetch about N7m. After we entered the bank, we saw the MOPOL (riot policeman) on duty sleeping, so Obinna pointed a pistol at him and we tied him with an old sponge. Mr Larry told us that he would keep the other door open for us.
“So, Larry and Obinna later went upstairs with pliers to disconnect the cctv. On our way out, Larry suddenly shouted, ‘Ah, the MOPOL has escaped, then I ran inside and all of them scattered. I didn’t know what to do. Then the police fired tear gas.”