There was palpable fear and tension  among residents and banks in Umuahia, the Abia State capital and Aba, the commercial nerve centre, Monday, over alleged mails from armed robbers who warned of imminent attacks.

Some branches of the banks in the capital city closed down yesterday when newsmen visited their premises. Staff of the banks that pleaded anonymity confirmed that the banks received a letter from robbers notifying them of their visit.

“This is the second time we are getting such letter in one week,” a source said.

Contacted, Abia Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jonathan Johnson said no bank in Umuahia had notified the police of any such letters, but that the police would not take the rumour for granted as top security measures are being put in place to contain the situation.

He decried the attitude of some persons or institutions that hoard information from security operatives.

However, he expressed concern over the security situation in the state, but said his men were on top of it.

“Our handicap is that our riffles cannot be compared with that used by the hoodlums, but we are on top of the situation,” he assured.

He said additional 1000 mobile policemen had been deployed to the state to help beef up security.

Investigations by our source have revealed that while some banks refused to open for business, others operated under tight security as customers and visitors were subjected to serious security checks.

Meanwhile, the Abia State Government has re-assured residents of Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state of their maximum security and protection.

Special Adviser to Governor Theodore Orji on Electronic Media, Mr. Ugochukwu Emezue who gave the assurance in Umuahia while reacting on security situation in Aba , appealed to bank workers in Aba to resume operations in the interest of the innocent members of the public.

He assured that the security apparatus has been reinforced to contain the new wave of bank robbery in the city.

While dispelling rumour that Abia has become a lawless state, the governor’s aide said that crime rate in the state especially bank robbery has reduced significantly until the recent incidents.

While appreciating the efforts of the police in combating crime in the state, he decried the withdrawal of soldiers from the joint military patrol teams and urged the military authorities to return their men to complement the efforts of the police.

He urged robbers and perpetrators of other violent crimes to embrace the current amnesty offer granted to kidnappers by the state government and key into the Federal Government amnesty package for a better and legitimate means of livelihood.

Emezue said the state government is consulting the Chinese embassy on a possible skill acquisition programme in China for the repentant criminals.

 It will be recalled that banks in Aba embarked on impromptu and indefinite strike after last Tuesday’s raid of some banks in the commercial city by armed bandits who carted away undisclosed sums of money.