APC Chieftain Urges FirstBank to Reopen Idoani Branch Seven Years After Robbery Attack

Steve Otaloro, a chieftain of Nigeria's All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, has appealed to First Bank of Nigeria Plc to reopen its Idoani branch. The branch has been closed since an armed robbery attack on April 8, 2019. Otaloro stated that reopening the branch would not only restore essential banking services to thousands of residents but also preserve the legacy of the bank's first indigenous Managing Director, the late Chief Samuel Oyewole Asabia, who hailed from Idoani. He emphasized that the bank's return to the historic community would revitalize economic activities. Otaloro recalled that Asabia, who became FirstBank's first indigenous MD in 1975, was instrumental in expanding banking services nationwide under the Federal Government's Rural Banking Programme. Idoani was selected for this initiative, leading to the establishment of the FirstBank branch in the 1980s during Asabia's tenure. The bank demonstrated a long-term commitment by constructing a purpose-built banking hall and manager's residence, unlike many rural branches initially in rented spaces. For decades, the branch served as the financial hub for numerous communities and institutions, including Federal Government College, Idoani, and Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Imeri. Otaloro lamented that the closure, compounded by a subsequent branch rationalization exercise, has left customers without access to conventional banking. Residents and businesses now face long journeys for transactions, relying heavily on Point-of-Sale (PoS) operators. While acknowledging the security concerns following the 2019 robbery, Otaloro argued that the incident should not have ended the bank's presence in the community, suggesting that Asabia's legacy warrants better.

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Asabia’s Legacy Deserves Better: Why FirstBank Should Return to Idoani