By DAUD OLATUNJI
ABEOKUTA— Depositors have  continued to  groan over the closure of commercial  banks in Abeokuta and its environs to protest the incessant   robbery attacks in which the institutions have lost huge sums of money.

Armed robbers in recent time have unleashed terror on banks  in towns like Ifo, Ota, Ijebu-Igbo, Sagamu  and Ilaro   where they reportedly killed some customers and stealing large sum of cash. This has forced the banks  to embark on indefinite suspension  of their services in the state, pending the time  security situation  would improve.

The closure, it was gathered was due to speculations and fear of further attacks.

Our correspondent  who visited Lalubu Road where most of the banks are located  in Abeokuta, observed that , all the banks were still under lock and key, while some customers were seen loitering around the bank premises.

Those who spoke with  Vanguard   on conditions of anonymity  lamented the development, saying that it has put pressure on their various businesses.

Some said that,  they regretted taking their money to banks, while they all pleaded with the state government to come to their  rescue by meeting the conditions given to it by the banks.

Bank managers in a meeting with Governor Ibikunle Amosun last week  threatened to relocate from the state by the end of this year, if the security situation  did not improve.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, told Vanguard  that the command  has deployed more men in the state to protect lives and property.

He  urged banks  to open, saying adequate security has been put in place to protect lives and property.

According to him “the command has deployed additional 200 mobile police men to banks areas and constant covey patrol in progress. The bankers are hereby urged to go about their normal business, security is guaranteed,” Adejobi said.

Meantime, the  state government has said that the operations of a Joint Task Force on Security started on Monday.

The Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa disclosed this yesterday while assessing 105 mobile police officers out of 260 deployed to the state for the exercise at MOPOL 16, command in Abeokuta.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Nicholas Nkemdeme while addressing the operatives said that their deployment to the state is unique because of the security challenges in the state, charging them to brace up for the task ahead.

The CP added that the remaining 155 operatives will arrive the state today.

-Vanguard

Posted by admin on Dec 5 2011. Filed under Headlines, Ogun, State News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry