By Peter Duru

MAKURDI—The Benue State House of Assembly has directed the Makurdi Branch Manager of the Central Bank  (CBN) to commence the enforcement of the directives issued to commercial banks across the nation to use armoured personnel carriers to convey cash in order to protect the lives of policemen on transit with such cash.

The House further directed the Commissioner of Police in charge of the state to work in collaboration with the CBN  to ensure that the new policy was not compromised by banks operating in the state.

Ruling on a motion brought before the Assembly by member representing Gboko East at the Assembly, Mr. Wilfred Bula, Speaker, Mr. Terseer Tsumba, called the attention of heads of commercial banks in the state to the reckless manner drivers attached to bullion vans ply the roads and the danger they pose to other road users.

Tsumba stressed that with the introduction of armoured bullion vans by banks, such recklessness would be checked and the roads wouldbe made safer for all road users.

Bula, through his motion, had sort the House’s intervention to the reckless manner commercial banks bullion van drivers in the state breach traffic rules in the state in total disregard for the safety of other road users.

The lawmaker urged his colleagues to compel  commercial banks operating in the state as a matter of urgency to commence the use of the well fortified vehicles.

He recommended that as part of measures to elicit compliance on the part of commercial banks operating in the state, the Police Commissioner should be compelled to refuse the release of police escorts to banks that fail to comply with the new directive after one month.