ABAK FIRST BANK: How Management, Staff conspire with criminals to rob, kill customers

The First Bank Abak branch, has allegedly indulged in plethora of robbery activities which make some customers to be scared of the Bank in recent time. Just recently, a river of tears flows freely in the farming village of Ikot Udo Mbang in Ukanafun L.G.A. Their inconsolable sorrow stems from the untimely death of one of their prominent sons who was a senior nurse with the State Ministry of Health, Mr. Sunday Effiong Inyang who died recently from bullet wounds he sustained when armed men attacked him near Obio Akpa bridge, shortly after Akwa Ibom State University campus.

Sources said he was trailed after withdrawing about N1.3m from First Bank with a white building located near Abak Market Square. Mr. Inyang is said to have withdrawn for building renovation project when the men of the underworld struck on his way home. Sources said the guy in his bike had noticed that the trigger-happy fellows were after them. Shortly, they were intercepted and this followed with minor foot-dragging before Mr. Inyang was robbed and shot.
It would be recalled that a teaching staff of Goodnews Community School, Abak was trailed from the notorious bank and robbed at the school compound after withdrawing undisclosed amount. A lady was also trailed and robbed along Ikot Ekpene Road after withdrawing about N500,000 from the same bank. A source said a nurse who lives in Abak was shot sometime ago after losing the cash she withdrew from the bank to two gunmen.
Some public-spirited individuals have expressed concern over the regular attacks of customers from the First Bank, just as they alleged conspiracy theory between some criminally-minded staff and gunmen of the 121 year-old “strong and reliable” financial institution. A bank customer who spoke with our crime correspondent said that thorough investigation of the crimes can unearth the truth. Another customer who said she has her salary account in the bank said bike men hang out around the bank, adding that they could be monitoring the customer who do withdrawals and carry out their exploits; suggesting that the bank should not ignore the operations of commercial activities thereat as they should not sacrifice the safety of their customers.
However, indigenes and residents in Abak while speaking with THE INK said they are going to lead a demonstration to the Bank even as they have consulted traditional rulers and other stakeholders about their plan to stage a violent protest against the continuos killing of their kinsmen who are customers in the bank.
The Branch Manager of First Bank in Abak could not be reached for comment as all efforts to meet with him proved abortive as at press time.