The Ogun State Police Command has expressed anger over the refusal of commercial banks to open for business in the Ijebu-Ode area of the state.
Banks in Ijebu-Ode were locked up over fear that armed robbers wrote to some of them, informing of impending attacks.
In a statement on Sunday, September 26, 2021, Ogun command’s spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the command noticed with dismay, the unwarranted closure of banks and financial institutions in Ijebu Ode and its environs over an alleged robbery threat.
Abimbola said, “The command is appalled at this unprofessional behaviour of bankers in that axis despite the continuous assurance of their safety by the police and other security agencies.”
Describing the action as treacherous and mischievous, Abimbola said the bankers in the Ijebu axis were not the only bankers in Ogun, wondering why “they are the ones complaining of robbery threat every now and then.”
“The command has noticed that once they are bent on this mischief, they closed their minds and eyes to other security arrangements the police in conjunction with other security agencies have on the ground to protect them.
“They claimed armed robbers wrote to inform them that they are coming to attack them, but they will not make the purported letter available to the police for investigation and possible apprehension of those behind it. It is bad that from time to time they cry wolves, carelessly and recklessly; and in none of these numerous occasions has any robbery taken place,” he said.
Speaking further, Abimbola said the command wanted to believe that “some of the bankers actually want their banks to be robbed,” hence “these strange set of bankers expose the banks in the area to security threats by making public real and imaginary security lapses to the general public including armed robbers rather than quietly discussing them with security agencies and government.”
He added that “The command, therefore, wishes to warn that the bankers will surely be the first set of suspects if anything unusual in the form of bank robbery (God forbid) happens in the area, at least for them to disclose their ceaseless sources of information.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Edward Awolowo Ajogun, has directed a full-scale investigation into this their present claim of receiving a letter from armed robbers that they are coming to attack their banks.
“On our own part, we are doing everything within the ambit of the law to guarantee the safety of life and property of good people of Ogun state, the banks and other financial institutions inclusive. It is therefore not in the interest of the state, for anybody to raise a false alarm.”
