The Lokoja branch of Sterling Bank on Friday shut its doors to customers, leaving many of themstranded.

As early as 10am, customers who came to the bank expecting to get money for the weekend left disappointed as they could not gain access into the banking hall.

The Nation correspondent who visited the bank was told by the security men at the gate that they were working on instruction, saying “You have to call somebody inside to give us permission to allow to let you in.”

Efforts to convince them failed as he insisted that he could not open the gate and that only the staff inside the bank could give approval for the gate to be opened.

A lady who apparently was an account officer to one of the stranded customers had to enter the bank and returned before two of the customers were allowed into the bank, while others were turned away.

She was heard telling one of the customers that they got a call to close the bank because of trouble in Lokoja.

However, others banks were still open to customers and were expected to close their gates by 2 pm.

At the time of filing this report, Lokoja town was calm with no sign of possible violence, while INEC intensified distribution of electoral materials.

(The Nation)