By Enyichukwu Enemanna
As protests spread across Nigerian cities arising from the scarcity of the newly redesigned Naira notes, the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has asked all bank staff to stay away from work.
This comes as financial institutions have been targeted for violent attacks by protesters who continuously find it difficult to access their money in the banks.
ATM points and banking installations are being torched across the country by angry protesters, a situation that has generated panic among bank staff.
ASSBIFI had on Thursday during a media briefing in Lagos, warned that it might be forced to direct its members to stay away from work if the attacks on banks and their staff were not immediately brought to an end by the government and security authorities.
In a follow-up to the warning, the association on Friday directed its members to stay off work till the workplaces become secured for business transactions.
In a statement signed by the national president Olusoji Oluwole, ASSBIFI says it will not allow the lives and property of its members to be exposed to attacks.
The statement read in part, “The National Secretariat has been inundated with reports of threats and attacks on lives and properties of members and bank branches, and subsequently has been on the field to monitor and confirm the reports.
“We issued warnings and appeals to government to provide security measure for the safety of lives and properties of our members within and around the bank premises, but regrettably the attacks have continued without any form of security for the safety of our members, and the recent being the attack today, Friday, February 17 2023 on one bank branch at Epe, Lagos State.
“We cannot leave the lives and properties of our members exposed to obvious danger. Consequently, all members should today immediately stay away from work in any area where bank branches are attacked. This is to continue every day until normalcy is restored. Please note, you will be availed further directives as events develop.”
This comes barely a week to presidential election in Nigeria in which the President, Muhammadu Buhari has been accused by leaders of his governing All Progressives Congress (APC) of working to ensure that the party loses election in the Africa’s largest democracy where money plays a role in success of politicians at the polls.
