...Association directs bank staff to stay at home over attacks

The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, (ASSBIFI), has directed its members to stay away from work in any state where bank branches are attacked, until normalcy is restored.

There have been ongoing attacks on commercial banks and their staff over the naira scarcity crisis in the country.

The president of the association, Comrade Olusoji Oluwole, in a directive to unit presidents and secretaries, lamented that the body had been inundated with reports of threats and attacks on lives and property of members and bank branches.

He said that despite warnings and appeals to the government to provide security measures for the safety of its members within and around bank premises, attacks had continued unabated.

“The recent being the attack on February 17, 2023, where one bank branch in Epe was attacked. We cannot leave the lives and property of our members exposed to obvious danger. Consequently, all members should immediately stay away from work in any state where bank branches are attacked. This is to continue every day until normalcy is restored,” he said

In a telephone interview with Daily Trust Saturday, Oluwole regretted that Nigerians had chosen to attack banks and their staff over the naira crisis.

He warned that the ongoing attacks on banks would have adverse effects on the communities affected and the country in general.

“We are not the ones closing the banks; it is the people attacking them. They are burning banks and forcing us to shut down. Lives have been lost during attacks and properties destroyed. We have suffered so many losses; we shouldn’t wait till we lose our members. So, all members are to stay away from work in any community where any bank is attacked,” he said.