By Amos Aar
FOLLOWING the armed robbery attack on five commercial banks; First Bank, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, Stanbic Bank and United Bank for Africa, as well as a police station in Otukpo town in Benue State on Friday, October 20, 2023, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced precautionary measures against future attacks.
The CBN took the measures at an emergency meeting with the management of the affected banks in Makurdi, Benue State capital following suspicion that such security threats might still occur.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting obtained by National Record, the CBN, among other decisions, directed that “all banks and her branches across the state with immediate effect [sic] commence her business operations from 8am-2pm, Monday to Friday till January 30, 2024, when a review of the security situation will be carried out at the bankers committee for amendment accordingly”.
The communiqué further stated that the Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) support be increased to two hundred thousand naira (N200,000.00) for Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) while CBN is increased to five hundred thousand naira (N500,000.00).
“Each bank is mandated to make its payment on or before October 27, 2023,” the communique directed.
