Imported User:
Three weeks after the deadliest bank robbery attacks in Ekpoma in Edo State, all commercial banks in the town and neigbhouring villages are still under lock, LEADERSHIP findings has revealed.
When LEADERSHIP visited some of the banks in the town yesterday, long queues were seen as customers make withdrawals through the Automated Teller Machines (ATM). In one of the branches of the commercial banks in the town, grasses have taken over some portion of the building as the place had been deserted.
It would be recalled that some dare-devil armed bandits on the 22nd of March, 2012, staged simultaneous raids at the branches two commercial banks in the town where an unspecified amount of money was carted away by the robbers.
Since the deadly raid, the town has lost its peace as residents now live in perpetual fear not sure when the next attack will happen.
Some of the customers who spoke to LEADERSHIP expressed their frustrations and pleaded with the banks and security agencies to come up with a way of ensuring adequate security during transaction hours.
Dorothy Abumere, a staff of Ambrose Alli Univerisity, AAU said, "For three weeks now, banks have not opened to customers in this town for fear of another robbery attack.
"It has even become very risky keeping funds at home because banks will not open to customers."
Another respondent who gave his name as Odion, pleaded for more security presence in the town in order to forestall any further attacks from robbers.
"Ekpoma is a very strategic town," he stated. "It is the host community of the famous AAU and cultism is a major concern already. Adding another burden to that will just crush this town. State and federal governments should increase military and police presence in the town."
