The Federal Police of Ethiopia has banned 14 private security agencies for engaging in crimes involving bank robbery and planning targeted attacks.
The 14 private security agencies have been found involved in bank robberies since last year and planning targeted attacks on civilians, according to Federal Police, which also stated that some of the security guards of these agencies have disappeared with their weapons.
It is stated that a total of over 35 million Birr (about one million dollar) is robbed by the some of the armed employees of the security agencies. Currently, the agencies are found engaged in deliberately allowing the infiltration of criminals in their staff and giving them special missions targeting civilians in the capital, Addis Ababa.
The names of the private security companies closed are:
1- Nisir Human Resources and Security Agency
2- Agar Protection Service
3- Sebhatu and Lijochu (Sons)
4- Selam Security
5- Haile Teklay and Friends
6- Kifle Gossaye and Hagos Weldegabriel
7- Yonas, Roza and Mebrihit
8- Hayelom and Birhane
9- Demelash Haftu and Friends
10- Hiluf and Halefom
11- Walta Security
12- Safe Security
13- Atlas General Service
14- Goh Security Services
The federal police called on the owners / managers of the listed agencies to appear and report. It also urged those who employed security guards from the closed agencies to take precaution measures and regulate properly the operations of the guards to avoid unnecessary consequences.