ASSBIFI Suspends Withdrawal Of Bankers Over Attacks

The leadership of Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has suspended the withdrawal of bank staff and gave them order to, without delay, resume work from Monday 20th of February, 2023.

However, the president, Comrade Olusoji Oluwole, who gave the order Sunday evening, warned that the staff will, without further instruction, shut their doors and gates against customers whenever their lives are under threat.

He said: “following the recent unwarranted attacks on Members of ASSBIFI, other bank workers, and the destruction of several branches across various States. and the failure of relevant authorities to condemn these acts of violence. We were forced to issue a stay-at-home order to our Members to safeguard thelr lives, and properties of thelr various organisations.”

Oluwole stated that, there has been several engagements with different bodies and individuals to address this ugly trend and the union has received assurances that adequate security to protect lives and property will be put into place with immedate effect.

“Based on the outcome of our discussion we hereby release the following statements:  while our members will resume at thelr funchional branches immediately, the safety and security of their lives  remain paramount to us and we contnue to demand that visible and adequate secunty is provided in all operational areas. particularly places that are traditionally known to be volatie.

“In the event of any threat of attack by the public without visible protection, they have been advised to shut down and move to safe locations until such a time that their safely can be guaranteed.”

Moreover, Oluwole said: “while our members in locations that were attacked and assets destroyed may be unable to operate, we have advised other members to assess the security situation in their environments before opening tor business.

“We are concemed by the inciting and threatening statements following the initial Inability of Banks to accept old N1000 and N500 notes based on instruction of the banking regulator, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).