Banks shut down operations over fear of attacks, cash crunch in Ondo

Residents of Ondo State were on Wednesday stunned when banks in the state shut their doors against customers who had thronged the branch to make transactions.

While monitoring the situation in the state, newsmen gathered that the branches of Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Polaris Bank, Wema Bank, Unity Bank and First Bank in Akure, the state capital as well as in Ondo town, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area of the state and in some other parts of the state shut down operations

Findings indicated that the decision to shut down the banks was hinged on fear of attacks and a shortage of cash.

At Wema Bank in the Adegbola axis of the Akure metropolis, it took the spirited efforts of Police operatives attached to the facility to ward off customers who attempted to force their way into the banking hall.

Customers had in their number arrived at the branch as early as 6:30am in anticipation of being among the first to gain entrance into the bank.

Tension began to rise when the automated teller machines, ATMs did not dispense cash and the bank refused to open its doors for the customers, creating a dilemma on how to handle the huge crowd.

The customers who became furious after their patience had worn off attempted to forcefully gain entrance into the bank but were repelled by police officers who fired gunshots into the air.

It was the same situation at Polaris Bank, with customers already at the bank by 6:30am.

It has been a case of survival of the fittest at various ATMs, as the galleries have been venues for exhibitions of anger and frustration.