The Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Bayo Adelabu, has said the bank will resuscitate its 82-acre staff estate located at Owode area of Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State, which has been abandoned for many years.

While inspecting the sprawling property, which residents of the area claimed had become a hiding place for people of shady characters, Adelabu expressed sadness over the neglect and sorry state of the blocks of building, promising that the management of the bank would begin work at the site immediately and put it into use.

He said, “This massive property containing several blocks of housing units has been neglected for too long. But the CBN under the current leadership of our governor, Godwin Emefiele, is a sensitive and responsible organisation.

“You will recall that there was a news item in a newspaper about the neglect of a property, which belongs to the CBN in Ibadan last week. Immediately we read the story, we had to respond promptly because it is our belief that a very massive property containing several blocks of housing units that is in a state of neglect must be brought back to life.”

Adelabu added that the bank had a good mission and focus when the project was initiated.

He explained, “When the bank set up this place, it had a good plan in mind for it to serve as staff quarters but maybe due to the monetisation policy of the Federal Government and a lot of other projects, which the CBN is involved in, it was abandoned.

“But I will like to assure the members of the public that we will swing into action and give it the kind of attention needed to bring life back into this place. I assure you that the new management of the CBN is very responsive and responsible, and we shall do everything to make sure that this trend is reversed.

“We will begin with the clearing of the whole place and provide adequate security for the place. We will not tolerate or condone any nefarious activity in this place any longer. We will collaborate with the state government to put this place back to normal and do all within our power, with the support of the state government, to guide against a repeat of the lawless and criminal activities as happened at Soka area of Ibadan.”