Economic activities have continued to decline at Omu Aran, a town in Kwara State, following a deadly armed robbery incident in May 2013. It is now a year after the attack, but banks in the community have not opened for business. Omu Aran is the headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.

Residents of the town are left without any option than to travel several miles to carry out bank transactions in neighbouring Ekiti State, as well as Ilorin, the state capital.  On that fateful day, armed robbers numbering about 20, with a lady among them, invaded the town, where they raided a police station and three commercial banks along Aperan Way. They carted away undisclosed sums of money.

Though security has been beefed up in the town since the incident took place, the bankers are yet to be convinced that all is well; hence their offices have remained closed.

Also affected is Offa, another town that experienced similar incident on December 19, 2013. However, the case is different there as it was gathered that, apart from the ones affected by the attack, other banks have commenced operation. This was achieved after several assurances from security agencies and the government. The community also took their destiny in their hands by donating patrol vans to security agencies to complement government’s efforts. These efforts yielded the desired results as the banks later resumed operations. They, however, close by 2:00 pm. 

But banks at Omu Aran have remained shut despite the fact that the community also donated Hilux vans to security agencies for effective patrol of the town.

Speaking with our correspondent, president of the Omu Aran Development Association (ODA), Chief Peter Oyinloye, appealed to the banks to resume operations, saying the community had shown enough commitment to their safety.

Sunday Trust, however, reliably gathered that the banks are yet to resume services because their members of staff are rejecting deployment to the town. They would rather resign than accept any posting to the community.  “That is the challenge we are facing now. We were told that most of their staff members don’t want to come because of the trauma of their colleagues that were killed last year,” a member of the community who did not want his name mentioned said.

Speaking on the situation during his monthly media chat last week, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed assured that the problem would soon be resolved. 

 “Very soon we will be able to overcome the problem in Offa and Omu-Aran where banks are expected to open fully. I know it is a big challenge. The bankers are not yet fully convinced that they could go there. 

“We are trying to let them see that security measures have been put in place. I am sure that these places will now be enabling for bankers to operate. I have spoken to the Central Bank comptroller here in Ilorin; and he is pleading with the banks to get their branches reopened for business. It is a huge problem for the people from that axis to continue to come to Ilorin because they want to deposit or withdraw cash,” the governor said.

When contacted, the CBN comptroller in Ilorin, Mr. Monday Olatewo said the banks were still waiting for their managements to give directives on when to reopen.