Get Guardian on GoogleCustomers of Jaiz Bank in Jos, Plateau State, have protested over the alleged fraudulent withdrawal of more than N100 million from their accounts, accusing the bank of failing to refund their money despite repeated complaints.
The aggrieved customers staged a protest in front of the bank’s branch in Jos, carrying placards appealing to the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to intervene.
Some of the inscriptions read: “FG should come to our rescue,” “We have been cheated,” “CBN should please come to our aid” and “We have been defrauded by Jaiz Bank staff.”
The protesters alleged that they had invested their money with the bank but later discovered that their accounts had been emptied by a staff member.
They said they were subsequently informed that the money had been transferred to several other bank accounts.
According to them, all transactions were conducted within the banking hall, using documents provided and processed through the bank, leaving them convinced that their investments were secure.
One of the protesters, Hashim Umar Faruk, said he had invested millions of naira intended for the upkeep of his family, including his children and mother.
He alleged that the bank had promised to refund the money after identifying the staff member involved but had failed to fulfil the promise for nearly a year despite repeated efforts.
Another customer, Rose Dayo, said she opened an account and invested her money in a fixed deposit after being informed by a bank staff member that the service was available. She said she was issued a certificate as evidence of the investment, which she still had in her possession.
Dayo said she became suspicious when she returned to withdraw some of the money and was informed that there was no balance in the account.
Another protester, Zainab Mahmud Dalladi said money allegedly withdrawn fraudulently from her husband’s account belonged to an orphan she was keeping in trust.
She said: “I deposited the money into my husband’s account because he has an account with the bank.
When I went to withdraw it, I discovered that the money was no longer there. I contacted my husband, who advised me to report the matter to the bank’s management. They later told me that one Habiba, a staff member, had withdrawn the money.”
The protesters, who lamented the impact of the alleged loss on their lives, appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other relevant institutions to intervene and ensure that their money was refunded.
Responding, the bank’s lawyer, Munir Barau Abdullahi, who was mandated by the management to speak on its behalf, said the aggrieved customers had transactions with a staff member but did not deal directly with the bank.
He alleged that the customers deposited their money into different accounts rather than their personal accounts opened with the bank.
“Their dealings were with a staff member of JAIZ Bank. Unknown to them, however, the staff member was not depositing the money into their respective accounts with the bank. That is the bottom line of the whole issue. If you follow due process and deposit your money, it is safe. The matter is still in court, and I am surprised to see them protesting,” he said.
