By DAYO JOHNSON
AKURE— BANKERS across Ondo State yesterday, join their colleagues in Ogun, Oyo and Ekiti states, in closing shop for the third day running to ward off possible armed robbery attack.

Investigation revealed that the banks in protest have agreed to shut their doors for a week in the first instance.

Customers who stormed the banks yesterday were disappointed to find the gates of the banks shut again.

No notice was given by the banks but customers flooded the Automatic Teller Machines, ATM, to meet their financial needs following the banks action.

Consequently, the state government summoned  the state police commissioner Sani Mogaji and the Chairman of Bank Managers Forum, Ondo State, Mr. Remi Faola to an emergency security meeting to resolve the matter.

Speaking after the meeting Faola appealed to the people not to regard the banks cautionary step as a punitive action, but as a measure against any unexpected negative occurrence.

Faola commended the rapid response of the state government to recent threats to banking operations by the armed robbers raid on some banks.

The Police Commissioner Sani Mogaji told the people that they have no cause to worry anymore as the Command has deployed new tactics in preventing bandits from further strike as well as tracking down at entry points those who may want to ply their devilish trade in the state.

Magaji said the new anti-robbery operational system of the Command will in addition to the Armoured Personnel Carriers go a long way in curbing armed banditry in the state during this Yuletide and beyond.

The governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko speaking through his Commissioner for Finance, Chief Yele Ogundipe said that the state government is to invest more on security of lives and property of the people of the state by acquiring Close Circuit Television for community surveillance

Mimiko said this is a step forward in its fight against armed banditry after the acquisition of five new Armoured Personnel Carriers to boost the internal security network especially during this Yuletide.

Aside from this, he said plans were underway to purchase more Armoured Personnel Carriers.

He said: “The state government is seriously concerned about the safety of lives and property of its citizenry as well as the financial institutions in the state. We cannot fold our arms watching our people living in fear of attacks by criminals. That is why we won’t spare any stone unturned in making the state a no-go area for  them.

“I want to assure you that the state government will invest massively in the strengthening of our internal security. When we unfold next year’s budget, we are going to acquire CCTVs and install it in our towns to monitor movements to know who is coming in and going out.

Also, we will install other devices which ordinary eyes cannot see to further secure lives and property”.

He charged the public not to see security matter as a one man business hence the need for them to cooperate more with the law enforcement agents by volunteering information about suspicious movements to the security agencies for appropriate actions.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/12/s-west-robbery-siege-ondo-banks-close-shop-as-precaution/

Ndi yooroba sef

Abeg leave yoruba out of this.