Four customers have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, seeking justice over the transfer of $180,000 from a new generation bank to a Chinese firm. Ogbogu Chinyere, Ogbogu Esther, Anadu Ogechukwu and Oganya Ifeyinwa were said to be banking with the branch of the bank in Festac, Lagos State and instructed it to transfer $230,000 to the Chinese firm. Shortly after, they allegedly discovered an error in the account details of the firm and alerted the bank to halt the transfer. Sunday Vanguard learnt that the bank was asked on February 27, 2014 to stop the transaction.
However, the bank was said to have already transferred $100,000 to the firm. Meanwhile, the customers, according to sources, instructed the bank to recall the money. But rather than heed the instruction, the bank allegedly went ahead to transfer additional $80,000 to the Chinese firm, fueling suspicion of untidy deals by some bank officials involved in the transfer.
“Since the money transfer scam was discovered, the bank has failed to return the money or demonstrate seriousness in addressing the transaction. To redress the situation, the customers have petitioned the Central Bank and law enforcement agencies”, one of the sources said. Based on this, it was gathered that operatives of the EFCC interrogated some officials of the bank but all efforts to invite those alleged to be directly involved in the illegal transaction have proved abortive.
Efforts made to get a reaction from the bank at the weekend failed as calls to its Corporate Affairs Department were not returned.
