Suspected armed robbers allegedly  snatched the N4,011,675 furniture allowance given to Taraba State Commissioner of Water Resources, Mr Charles Mijinyawa, by the state government. The robbers attacked the commissioner in his office at about 4:00p.m. yesterday.

According to Mijinyawa, he gave a cheque of N4, 011,675:00 to the accountant in his ministry to withdraw the money at Zenith Bank and instructed him to ensure that the money was cashed in N1000 notes. The accountant was told at the Bank that N1000 was not available and that he should come back the following day.


The following day, Mijinyawa said he received a call from the Bank at about 3:30p.m. that the money was ready but he told the caller that it was too late for him to collect it. Surprisingly, a female staff of the Bank brought the money to his office around 4:00p.m.
Mijinyawa said he called the accountant and his cleaner to count the money. While the counting was going on, two armed men entered his office and collected the money. The robbers also locked the commissioner, the accountant, the cleaner and the female Bank staff in the commissioner’s office.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Taraba State Command, Mr Solomon Isa, who confirmed the report said the incident was reported to the police by the commissioner. He said the police have started investigation immediately and there is possibility that some staff of the Bank and those of the ministry would be invited by the police to answer some questions.THISDAY gathered that the accountant of the ministry and the female bank staff were arrested by the police, while the commissioner was also interrogated.