Residents Demand Reopening of First Bank Ido Ani Branch

Residents of Ido Ani in Ondo State are appealing to First Bank Nigeria to reopen its branch, which has been closed for seven years due to a robbery incident in April 2019 that resulted in the deaths of at least six individuals, including a police officer and a school vice principal. Mr.

Steve Otaloro, a community leader and former chairman of the Irekari Local Council Development Area, has called on the bank's management to reconsider its decision to keep the branch closed. He highlighted the historical importance of the Ido Ani branch, established in 1980 during the tenure of Chief Samuel Oyewol Asabia, the first indigenous managing director of First Bank.

The branch has served as a major financial institution for the town and surrounding communities, providing essential banking services to various local stakeholders, including farmers, traders, and public servants. Otaloro lamented the hardships faced by residents who must travel long distances for banking services and urged the bank's current leadership to restore operations in the community.