OMU-ARAN – Mrs Sarah Alade, Acting Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has re-assured the Omu-Aran community in Kwara that normal banking services would soon resume in the town.
Alade gave the assurance on Monday in Omu-Aran while handing over two Hilux pick-up vehicles donated by the community to the police.
Represented by the CBN Branch Controller in Ilorin, Mr Monday Olotewo, the Acting Governor said the bank was aware of the community’s social and economic predicament following the closure of banking operations.
According to her, the assurance was based on the high level synergy between the community and law enforcement agencies.
The assurance is coming after more than 11months of cessation of banking operations in the town following violent robberies that affected some banks in the area.
A robbery attack on May 14, 2013 led to indefinite closure of commercial banking operations in the town, forcing residents to travel more than 60 kilometres for their banking transactions.
Many banks had since refused to open their branches in the town.
“It is always a precarious situation for us in the banking sector, particularly the CBN to continue to witness indefinite closure of bank branches as a result of incessant armed robbery attacks.
“But when such attacks now involve loss of precious life it becomes more compounded.
“But the good news is that with the level of commitment shown by the people of Omu-Aran community, with this donation and other efforts in assisting security agencies, I assure you of the re-opening of the banks very soon,” Alade said.
Mr Ambrose Aisabor, the Kwara Commissioner of Police, in a remark expressed happiness at the community’s gesture, and promised to make judicious use of the vehicles.
Aisabor, who expressed optimistic at the re-opening of the banks in the community, urged financial institutions to furnish the command with useful security tips on how to improve security around them.
“I am assuring the Omu-Aran community that these vehicles will only be used to service the immediate security needs of the town.
“With the presence of all security apparatus in Omu-Aran, the police including regular and mobile units, Special Anti-Robbery Squad, and the Military patrol team, I think the banks can start their operations,’’ Aisabor said.
Chief Peter Oyinloye, President, Omu-Aran Development Association (ODA), said the association would also assist the police in the maintenance and fuelling of the vehicles to achieve smooth operations.
The Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Charles Ibitoye, thanked Landmark University, Omu-Aran, for donating one of the two vehicles.
“Our heart goes out to Landmark University, particularly its Chancellor, Bishop David Oyedepo, for donating one of the vehicles, and others philanthropists.
“It is our hope that the banks will reopen their doors very soon after this very laudable synergy to wipe out crime and criminality from the community,’’ Ibitoye said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the vehicles were handed over to the police on-behalf of the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed.
Ahmed was represented by his Special Adviser on Security Matters, Alhaji Musa Bello.(NAN)
