Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has directed that any bank which refuses to dispense new naira notes via Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and banking halls should have its land revoked by the state government.
The governor emphasized on that except for those with verifiable constraints such as lacking supplies from the CBN.
Zulum issued this directive on Friday afternoon in Maiduguri after visiting branches of banks to assess problems being faced by residents in trying to access new naira notes via long queues at ATMs amid acute scarcity and hopelessness.
This was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau, on Saturday
“Any bank in Borno State that is not willing to ensure their ATMs are fully dispensing new naira notes cash to ease the suffering of our people, we will withdraw their land title immediately. We will only spare Banks with genuine constraints that are verifiable” Zulum said.
Before that declaration, Governor Zulum was unhappy when he saw hundreds of people queued at a bank’s branch, with only one out of 10 ATMs dispensing cash.
“As you can see here, only less privileged people are queued up. I didn’t see rich people here. Many people are said to be here since 3:00 am, some could not even eat anything.
The new naira note and even the old ones are not available and that is adversely affecting commercial activities in the state and people are suffering” Zulum said as he sympathize with people in queues.
