Banking activities in Owo local government area of Ondo State was on Tuesday disrupted around 10.30 a.m following an attempt by suspected armed robbers to attack a commercial bank in the town.
Also, the four operating banks in the four local governments of Akoko kingdom stopped operation immediately they were alerted about the robbers' presence in Owo.
Banks in the communities have always been attacked by robbers.
Few weeks back, a bank in Ogbagi-Akoko was robbed and three persons were killed.
Also, in the early 2015, three banks in Owo were attacked and scores of people were killed.
At Owo yesterday, an eyewitness said the men of the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Akure prevented the robbers from attacking anther Bank in Owo.
The bank is directly opposite the palace of the monarch of the town, the Olowo of Owo kingdom.
The eyewitness narrated that the robbers announced their arrival at the Oke Mapo area of the town which is few metres from where the bank was located, by shooting into the air sporadically.
They were said to be planning to enter and attack the bank.
On getting the information, the soldiers were reported to have rushed down to the town.
The eyewitness also told our correspondent that the residents of the area ran helter skelter for their lives owing to the boom of the gunshots of the robbers, while traders and shop owners left their stalls for safety.
A source said, "All the banks in Ikare Akoko, Irun Akoko, Oka Akoko and all other towns in Akokoland stopped attending to customers at about 10am because they had the information that robbers were attacking banks in Owo."
A bank official in one of the banks in Ikare Akoko, on condition of anonymity also confirmed the development.
He said " We have to close for the day at about 11am because after leaving Owo, the robbers may decide to face us in Ikare Akoko, so we have to prevent it, that is why we closed for the day at that time."
In his reaction, the Assistant Director of Public Relations of the Artillery Brigade, Captain Ojo Adelegan said there was no robbery incident in Owo, saying "the men of the Brigade, who were on patrol in the town heard of the information, they moved in but did not see any robber."
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