Three LGAs in Oyo State without bank seek urgent intervention
By Rasaq Adebayo
One year after a gang of armed robbers attacked a commercial bank (First Bank) in Okeho, Kajola Local Government Area of Oyo State, the residents of three local government areas in Oke-Ogun are still suffering, clamouring for banking services.
The over three million residents have been denied banking service for more than a year since the robbery incident that took away the only bank operating in the area.
During the robbery which occurred on July 29,202, the bank premises was damaged beyond recognition while some residents lost their lives following the attack and the only bank operating in the council area immediately closed for operation.
Though some of the robbers were apprehended when the residents summoned courage to challenge them and handed them over to security agents, some others escaped with bank money as few of them got killed in the process.
Narrating the event and the ordeal of the residents in banking services to Lagos Street Journal, one of the residents, Olajide Abdullahi from Ayetoro-Oke, Kajola Local Government Area, Oyo State, said: “Before the armed robbery attack, the bank served as a major commercial bank to the residents of three Local Government Areas including Iwajowa, Itesiwaju, and Kajola Local Government Areas with approximate of three million people.
“Majority of small and medium entrepreneurs depended solely on the bank for the transact on daily basis, while students, corps members, teachers and other civil servants used the bank for financial transaction.
“Unfortunately, since the attack, the areas have been striving without a commercial bank to transact business. The residents from towns like Iganna, Iwere-Ile, Ayetoro ile, Okeho, Ilaji-Oke, Iwere-Oke, Otu, Ijio, Ayetoro-Oke, Ilero, Ilua, Isemi-Ile, Imia, Ilua, and the host of other communities have to travel from their remote locations to Iseyi town in Iseyin Local Government Area for cash deposit, withdrawal and other bank business.
“This, in actual sense, had caused untold hardship to the business community. Some people have been attacked leading to untimely death of few people in the process of taking money to banks from their remote communities. Some people have been attacked and sustained injuries from the hand of unscrupulous elements who catch on no bank to perpetrate evil act on business people in the communities.
“It is our appeal to relevant authorities to come to our rescue in this regard. This is our situation, since the attack, the community leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders have formed local security groups to ensure security of lives and property. The communities are more conscious now than never, they have risen to the challenges and joined hand together to equip community vigilantes to provide security.
“We appeal to First Bank to come back and continue its operation. We use this opportunity to call other commercial banks to open their branches in various towns like Ayetoro-Oke and others to ease the challenges of our people. We assure them of security of life and prosperity.
“We implore Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde to ensure security of lives and property. More security personnel should be deployed to bank premises so as to guarantee security of life and property.”
Other residents of the community who spoke our correspondent also urged the government to facilitate establishment of banking services to the area.
