CBN sets to assess banks over looting

A source at the apex bank, who was not mandated to speak, told The Nation: “We will make assessments over the weekend to see the extent of damage that banks suffered”.

He stated the CBN wants to be adequately informed of the extent of damages the banks suffered before taking any action.

According to the source: “Once we review the situation over the weekend we will know what to do”.

However, he pointed out the duty of the CBN is to regulate the banks while the banks “are the ones to assure their customers of the safety of their deposits”.

On Sunday, most banks in the Abuja metropolis manipulated their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) not to dispense cash.

A security guard at one of the new generation banks told The Nation the management manipulated the ATMs to prevent hoodlums from further damaging the machines while trying to steal cash.

Other than Jaiz bank in Central Area, which had only one ATM dispensing cash, no bank The Nation visited from Garki, Wuse, Central Area, parts of Asokoro and Gana Street on Maitama dispensed cash through their ATMs.

Adding some perspective to the development, a source in Access Bank said the bank may have fixed the ATMs from dispensing cash to prevent its customers from being robbed by vandals.

According to him: “We have heard that these hoodlums lay in wait for customers make withdrawals from ATMs before robbing them of their money”.

“Robbing people who use ATMs may be the reason for manipulating the ATMs. It could be precautionary I don’t know. It is not peculiar to a particular bank”.

His bank, he said, “maybe staying on the side of caution, they don’t want to put people’s lives in danger”.