Violent robberies: Banks, police plan new security measures

Posted by admin Headlines, Nigerian Police Sunday, July 3rd, 2011

The Group Managing Director (GMD) of First Bank Plc., Mr. Bisi Onasanya, has said the recent violent robbery attack on one of the bank’s branches in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, is a reflection of the level of decadence in the country, saying banks were already in discussion with the police hierarchy on how to curtail the menace.

Onasanya said this in Ado Ekiti while speaking with newsmen after a visit to the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, in his office in Ado Ekiti.

The First Bank boss, who was in Ekiti with some of the bank’s senior officials, said, “The level of armed robbery incidences is something that is of concern to each and everyone of us and as individuals and corporate bodies, we have a responsibility to make sure that we flush out the bad eggs within the society.”

He said Nigerians in general needed to do more as far as security was concerned, saying “We need to do a little bit more and we are already discussing with the Inspector General of Police to make sure that we improve on the level of security in the banks and the society in general.”

Onasanya said he was in Ekiti to show appreciation to Governor Fayemi for his actions after the violent robbery at a branch of the bank in Ado Ekiti in which five persons lost their lives, especially his visit to those injured in the robbery as well as his underwriting their medical bills.

“One of the reasons why I’m in Ekiti is to show appreciation to the governor for taking time out to visit the victims of the robbery incident in the hospital,” the First Bank boss stated.

According to him, First Bank Plc was also interested in partnering with the Ekiti State government in critical economic areas like agriculture, adding that N1 billion had been earmarked for the promotion of agriculture by the bank, from which he said Ekiti could tap.

Governor Fayemi said on the occasion that it was gratifying that the First Bank team visited on the day the state House of Assembly passed the state Public-Private Partnership and Bond laws, pointing out that the measure had given the state enough room to partner with the private sector and access bonds from the financial market for the development of the state.

-Tribunewp_posts