Politics
SOME residents of Kaduna metropolis on Friday, thronged Automated Teller Machines (ATM) points for various transactions, amidst enforcement of total lockdown declared by the Kaduna State Government on Thursday.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who went round some parts of the metropolis to monitor compliance to the quarantine order, reports the presence of residents at every ATM point.
However, some of the ATMs were not dispensing cash due to network failure while others were out of cash.
At Fidelity Bank ATM point, Unguwan Boro, many residents were seen hanging around ATMs that were not dispensing cash due to network problems.
Similarly, the situation was noticed around Keystone, First City Monument and First Bank ATMs in Sabon Tasha which were not dispensing, leaving long queues of customers waiting in anticipation.
The only ATMs dispensing cash were those of Stanbic IBTC and Access Bank, which were crowded as people struggled to make withdrawals.
Some of the customers expressed disappointment with the banks for failing in their hours of need.
“Many people were not prepared for a total lockdown,” one of them, Mr. Simon Peter noted.
“And now that we are here to withdraw the little amount in our accounts, it is either there is no cash in the ATM or there is a network failure. This is terrible for some of us,” Peter said.
Also, Mrs. Hauwa Ibrahim said she had no cash at hand and had been in queue for four hours but yet to make withdrawals due to a slow network.
Meanwhile, security personnel has taken over strategic location sending residents home and forcing traders to close their shops.
The security personnel comprised the Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, and Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Agency, and Civilian Joint Task Force.
Motorists are being stopped and turned back while a few were allowed through depending on the reasons provided.
NAN reports that the State Government on Thursday quarantined the whole state to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. The state has no case of the virus. (NAN)
– Mar. 27, 2020 @ 14:39 GMT |
Tags: Residents throng ATMs as security agencies enforce total lockdown in Kaduna
