Few Days After: Banks Remain Shut Down As Robbers Send ‘Notice of Attack’ In Ijebu

Commercials banks in Ijebu-Ode area of Ogun State have refused to open for business over fear of being attacked by armed robbers.

Sources said the banks have since Monday down tools following letters allegedly sent to some of them by the suspected robbers.

The fear of the bankers were not unconnected with the way some of the banks were robbed some years ago, with lives lost to gunshots.

At the moment, DAILY POST gathered that the banks have insisted on not opening their branches except the Ogun State Government assist the police with armoured personnel carriers to be mounted close to their branches.

Some residents of Ijebu-Ode told our correspondent anonymously that many had been travelling to places like Sagamu, Abeokuta and others to deposit or withdraw money.

A Point-of-Sale (POS) operator, who identified himself as Salam, lamented that the development portends “great danger” for him and others in the business in Ijebu-Ode.

“We withdraw money from banks to pay our customers and we also deposit in the bank when we have large sums of money in our kitty. If the banks are not opening, it will negatively affect us. In fact, it is affecting me already. I’ve been going to Sagamu to make withdrawals. It is bad,” Salam lamented.

The DPO of Igbeba, Ijebu-Ode, CSP Musiliu Ishola Doga, confirmed that the banks do not open.

Doga, however, debunked the rumour that armed robbers sent letters to the banks.

According to him, the police were on 24-hour patrol of all Ijebu-Ode metropolis, wondering why the bankers would refuse to open for business because there are no armoured personnel carriers stationed around them.

“It was a rumour that a letter or message was sent to the banks. None of them can confirm that message. It was just a rumour as far as I am concerned. But we are doing our own job. We are doing our own patrol and we shall continue to engage the bankers in meetings, to ensure them that we are up to the task. But I think they willingly don’t want to open the banks.

“If there are no armoured personnel carriers, does that mean there are no policemen in the town? What is the attachment of armoured personnel carriers, are they not policemen? It is good they are not complaining of not seeing police. Police is everywhere. They are not complaining of no police, they are now complaining of armoured personnel carrier. I don’t know what is the work of the armoured personnel carrier that police cannot do. Mobile policemen, conventional policemen, we are all on the street as I speak with you. That is the fact of the issue,” Doga explained.

In his advice, the DPO appealed to the bankers and members of the public not to nurse any fear over the matter.

According to him, the police is ready to protect lives and property, saying they are capable of handling the situation.

“The bankers and the people should not panic. We, the police, are ready to protect lives and properties. We are on 24 hours duty. There is no problem. We are capable of handling the whole situation,” he assured.

Also, the Ogun State Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, corroborated Doga’s submission, saying: “They are just entertaining fear where there is none; even the Area Commander and the DPOs have told them that there is no need to fear. Why should they be afraid because there are no Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC)? Even if the APCs are working, is it not the police that will operate them?

“The police are on ground to provide adequate security for lives and property. They are the ones that know why they are entertaining fear. We have assured them of their protection and our presence everywhere in Ijebu-Ode and everywhere in Ogun state. There is no reason to be panicking,” Oyeyemi stated.