Residents of Omu-Aran in Kwara now travel to neighbouring states for bank transactions due to the closure of commercial banks in the last three weeks.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that banks in Omu-Aran shut their doors to customers following a text message reportedly sent to a bank manager informing him of plans to rob his bank.

The situation was further compounded as banks in neighbouring Offa render skeletal services due to the recent communal clash in the area.

The two new generation banks in neighbouring Oro town had also been shut due to a recent robbery incident.

Investigation by NAN showed that residents of Omu-Aran now travel to Ilorin, the Kwara capital, and Ekiti state to transact business.

Mr Moses Oyewole, the Business Manager of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in the district, said that the situation had negatively affected the company’s target.

"Majority of our customers have capitalised on the unfortunate development and refused to pay their bills.

"They laid the blame on their inability to get money from the bank as the excuse for not paying their bills.

"We have no choice than to exercise a little patience, " he said.

Mr Bisi Salami, the Director of Mucenty Hotels, Omu-Aran, also decried the continued closure of banks, saying it had led to low patronage of hotels in the town.

"The continued closure of the banks has seriously affected our business, especially as regards patronage. We are only hopeful that the situation will soon be over," he said.

Mr Ayodele Olatunji, the Police Area Commander in Omu-Aran, told NAN that his command had put in place effective security strategies to combat any threat.

Olatunji said that the command had received reinforcement from the state headquarters and had assured the banks to ignore the threat and open for business.

Most of the commercial banks located on Aperan Way had remained closed since Feb. 5.