Adib Saani is a security analyst
• Adib Saani believes the police command is to blame for allowing the menace of their men being killed while protecting bullion vans to fester
• He describes it as irresponsible leadership
• He has therefore asked that the police withdraw cash in transit escort services
A security analyst, Adib Saani, has expressed his disappointment in the Inspector General of Police, following the killing of a police escort on a bullion van on Monday, June 14, 2021, after the vehicle was attacked by armed robbers.
The attack led to the killing of police constable, Emmanuel Osei, in what has been reported as a daylight bullion van robbery at Jamestown, one of the most popular suburbs of Accra.
The robbers made away with an undisclosed amount of cash and since then, the IGP, James Oppong-Boanuh, has served a notice that police officers will not be deployed to protect bullion vans until banks used armored vehicles for such activities.
But, reacting to the IGP’s reactions, Adib Saani explained that it is quite “irresponsible and negligent on the part of the police command to have allowed this to fester for such a long time when the solution was staring at us in the face.”
He added that as a matter of urgency, the police should hold back their services to banks who need them in the transporting of their monies while asking the IGP to treat his men as he would his son.
“The statement by the police should go beyond words. They have to as a matter of principle and urgency withdraw cash in transit escort services until the banks do the needful.
“It is only normal that increasing or perhaps complicating the robbers’ effort during their operations is a great disincentive to the criminals. It is best international practice to use armored vehicles to move money. It is completely unwise to use civilian vehicles to move money. We needlessly endanger the lives of these junior officers who have no option but to comply with directives,” he said via a statement made available to GhanaWeb.
Read his full statement below:
Police should withdraw cash in transit escort services
I am gobsmacked that the IGP after several bullion van heists has now seen the need to get the banks to provide bullet proof vans when moving money.
I find it irresponsible and negligent on the part of the police command to have allowed this to fester for such a long time when the solution was staring at us in the face.
The statement by the police should go beyond words. They have to as a matter of principle and urgency withdraw cash in transit escort services until the banks do the needful.
It is only normal that increasing or perhaps complicating the robbers’ effort during their operations is a great disincentive to the criminals. It is best international practice to use armored vehicles to move money. It is completely unwise to use civilian vehicles to move money. We needlessly endanger the lives of these junior officers who have no option but to comply with directives.
I ask, would the IGP allow his son, assuming he is an officer, to move money in a civilian pick up? These are equally people’s children.