JAIZ Bank Customers Protest Alleged N100m Debit From Accounts

Customers of JAIZ Bank in Jos, the Plateau State capital, have protested the alleged “unauthorised debit” of over N100 million from their accounts.

The customers, who protested in front of the bank’s branch in Jos, told journalists that despite several complaints to the management, it has refused to refund their money.

The protesters, who carried placards with inscriptions such as “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,” said they have been in serious distress since their accounts were emptied by a staff member of the bank.

Responding to the matter, the bank’s legal counsel, Munir Barau Abdullahi, on behalf of the management, said though the aggrieved customers transacted business directly with a member of staff and not with the bank.

He added that all the victims deposited their money into different accounts rather than their personal accounts opened with the bank.

“They dealt with a staff of JAIZ Bank, but unknown to them, the staff was not depositing their money into their various accounts with JAIZ 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 added.

The customers said they invested their money some time ago, only to discover recently that their accounts had been wiped out by bank staff. They added that when they complained, a staff member informed them that the money had been transferred to several bank accounts.
The customers stressed that the transactions were done inside the banking hall with approved documents and they only know JAIZ Bank and a staff member working there.

Speaking during the protest, one of the customers, Hashim Umar Faruk, said he invested millions of naira with the bank.

He said, “I came to the bank and followed all due processes inside the bank. They directed me to a staff member in charge of opening the account, which she did, and invested millions of naira for my family, children, mother, wife, and others. In the end, JAIZ Bank stole the money; after requesting a withdrawal of part of the funds, there was no money in the account. “

Faruk noted that “The bank had promised to pay us our money after identifying the staff that withdrew the money, but they have refused to do so for close to a year now despite several efforts we made.”

Another protesting customer, Rose Dayo, said she opened an account and deposited her money, but later discovered there was no money in it, despite several complaints.

She said, “I entered the bank and met a lady whom I don’t know who gave me a form to fill. I did everything through the bank. Everything was going smoothly. At one point, I asked them whether they offered fixed deposit accounts; she said yes, and I told her I wanted to keep my money in one. I opened the account, and she gave me a certificate, which is still with me. When I came to withdraw some money, the bank said there was no money in the account. “

Zainab Mahmud Dalladi, another protester, noted that the money was fraudulently withdrawn from her husband’s account, which she kept for an orphan, adding that “I deposited the money in the account of my husband because he has an account with them. By the time I came to withdraw the money, there was no money in the account. I called my husband, who said I should report the case to the management, who told me that a staff member named Habiba, who worked with them, had withdrawn the money.”

The protesters, while expressing how the loss of the money has affected their lives, called on the Central Bank of Nigeria and other relevant institutions to intervene and ensure their money is refunded