The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions said banks have lost about N5bn to the attacks of its facilities by hoodlums arising from cash crunch.
The President of ASSBIFI, Oluwole Olusoji, made this known on Thursday at a news conference in Lagos, where he said at the last count, 17 banks’ branches suffered various destructions, from burnt buildings to Automated Teller Machines vandalization, with some bank officials also falling victims.
Olusoji’s remarks, “Notwithstanding the insecurity due to the destruction of business premises within the banking industry, and the impact on insurance organisations, we remain committed to go the extra mile in providing service to our customers in safe and secure environments.
“However, we value the lives of our members and colleagues and will not put them at any further risk. We have, therefore, put them on alert and shall instruct them without further warning to immediately stay away from their branches if these attacks on our members and facilities continue until such a time that they can be guaranteed of their personal safety and the security of their personal safety and the security of their workplaces by the relevant authorities.
“We call on the public to desist from threatening or attacking our members, or destroying our properties as they will be only proverbially cutting their noses to spite their faces. We can only give what we have been provided with and nothing more.”
