Community leaders in  Omu-Aran, Kwara State, have appealed to banks that had closed shops for more than seven months in the community to re-open in the interest of  residents.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran in separate interviews that the continued closure of the banks was impacting negatively on the economy of the community.

NAN reported that armed robbers, on May 14, raided three banks in the community,  killed three persons and escaped with unspecified amount of money.

Residents in the community now travel to Ilorin, the state capital, and communities  in the neighbouring states to transact banking business.

The Akeweje of Omu-Aran, Chief Bisi Adeyemi,  particularly urged the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institution to urgently intervene to save the community from the predicament.

He said the community, under its traditional ruler, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Charles Ibitoye, and Omu-Aran Development Association (ODA) had held series of meetings to woo the banks back to business.

"The community had held series of meetings, especially those that border on security, all in the efforts to woo the banks to re-open their doors for banking transactions.

"The community has also gone the extra mile to fortify its local security outfit and given assistance and support to the police surveillance and patrols.

"But, regrettably, more than seven months after the unfortunate incident, the situation remains the same and our people are now at the receiving end.

"Our markets have been deserted because residents who travel to Ilorin and Otun in Ekiti State for banking transactions prefer buying their items along with them after such transactions," Adeyemi said.

Alhaja Awawu Popoola, a market leader, said that traders were experiencing low sales and had incurred losses as a result of the closure of the banks.

"Majority of our members have been thrown out of business due to losses incurred as a result of poor sales occasioned by closure of banks in the community.

"The fear of attack on banks in Omu-Aran has also driven away some potential buyers to more secured markets in other towns," Popoola said.

Secretary, Omu-Aran Development Association, Mr Bidemi Olawuyi, said the association had taken some proactive measures to assist law enforcement agencies.

"We are not resting on our oars in assisting security agencies, including the town's vigilance group, to end this trend.

"More importantly, we are still in contact with the banks' managements in an effort to woo them back to continue their businesses in the interest of the people of the community," Olawuyi said.