By Xavier Ndah, The Moment

ABOUT N11.7 million meant for September salaries of policemen in Lagos State has developed wings and disappeared from the Nigerian Police Force, Micro Finance Bank within Ikeja Police College, GRA, where it was kept.

According to a security source, the money was stolen between last Friday and yesterday, thereby increasing cases of corruption reportedly rampant within the Police College.

When our reporter visited the bank as early as 10.00 a.m., he saw a large number of policemen, who had come for their salaries but were turned back disappointedly on learning of the theft.

Some of the policemen, however, confided in our reporter that they had been directed to visit another branch of the microfinance bank at Obalende for the payment of their salaries. The Ikeja branch manager of the microfinance bank declined comment on the incident.

Further investigation later revealed that police detectives have swung into action to unravel the mystery surrounding the sudden disappearance of the money during the public holiday.

Dependable police source disclosed that suspected robbers had entered the bank without causing damage to either the keys or the doors of the bank. The vault was not damaged either but the robbers went away with the money without any hindrance.

According to our source, police are working on the theory of possibility of insiders’ collaboration with the robbers. We gathered that, already all staff of the bank with the responsibility of keeping the bank keys have been invited for interrogation.

According to the source, preliminary investigation has already commenced and investigators are working round the clock to ensure that the suspects are arrested.

We gathered that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yakubu Alkali, has set up an investigative panel headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Noah Adesanyin.

A former Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Emmanuel Ighodalo and four other high ranking police officers are members of the panel.

The state police spokesman, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), when contacted on phone said he was yet to be briefed on the matter.