Banks lock out customers in Bayelsa

There seems to be a subdued tension in  Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, as a fallout of the ongoing announcement of the results of the Presidential poll.

A few commercial banks, such as the United Bank for Africa and Sterling Bank, ‎located along Sani Abacha Road, have restricted their operations to customers with ATM cards.

The banks claimed to have a security repor‎t of the high possibility of crisis  in the event of the final release of the result of the Presidential poll.

The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.), is leading in the results of the poll already released by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The official of the UBA, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said the bank was in possession of an urgent security report to close shop because of the tensed situation in the state.

The official only allowed those with ATM ‎into the premises while those who wanted to transact business with other items, were asked to go.

At Sterling Bank, the security personnel at the gate hurriedly closed the bank against customers, citing the security situation in the state.

The bank‎  was however open to ATM operations.

Also, at GTB along Sani Abacha Road, banking operations ‎commenced normally but a bank officer said the banks operations were expected close by 11.30pm.

At the Imgbi Road Branch of the First Bank, officials pasted a notice that banking operations at the branch end by 3pm, without providing further explanations.

‎However, our correspondent has not observed any incident of violence in the state.