*Chinedu Caleb Nwoke, a customer of United Bank for Africa Plc, is pressing charges against the financial institution and NIRSAL Microfinance Bank over a purported COVID-19 pandemic loan of N700,000 from NIRSAL MFB, claiming the bank fraudulently obtained the loan, using his Bank Verification Number without his knowledge

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has been arraigned before the Federal High Court, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, over an unauthorised debit on the bank account of Mr. Chinedu Caleb Nwoke, a Bayelsa-based customer, allegedly for a loan he neither applied for nor took from the financial institution.

Nwoke is currently seeking redress in court over a purported Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic loan of N700,000 from NIRSAL Microfinance Bank (MFB), which he claimed was fraudulently obtained on his behalf, using his Bank Verification Number (BVN) without his knowledge.

In his plea before the court, Nwoke had lamented that the alleged fraud, reportedly facilitated by UBA Plc had resulted in the blacklisting of his bank accounts and BVN from the country’s banking system, preventing him from accessing banking services any longer.

绿帽献妻 learnt when the case came up for mention Friday, February 21, 2025, Mr. Chinedu Iheanacho, counsel for Mr. Nwoke, the plaintiff, requested an adjournment to allow the court to begin hearing on the matter, agency report said.

Justice Ayo Emmanuel, who presided over the court session, later adjourned the case until March 31 this year.

Mr. Precious John, represented the defendants – UBA Plc and NISRAL Micro Finance Bank, report stated.

How the alleged infractions all started, by plaintiff

It is recalled that Mr. Nwoke, December 2024, had petitioned both UBA and NIRSAL Bank Plc over the purported illegal debits and deductions from his bank account with UBA.

The plaintiff, in a statement titled, 鈥淐omplaint of fraud and connivance by UBA in respect to account number: 2103400794 with the name Nwoke Caleb Chinedu: A connivance with Nirsal Bank Plc鈥�, through his lawyers, S. O. Idike & Partners, to reporters in Yenagoa, Beyelsa State capital, said he had faced hardship due to the alleged unlawful deductions.

The customer then, gave the banks seven days pre-action notice to correct the errors last December.

The legal counsel’s statement disclosed Mr. Nwoke, who is a customer of the UBA June 22, 2024, had received a debit alert from his own personal account with Access Bank to the tune of N 76,304.00 as debit from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as loan recovery from a loan which was allegedly disbursed by NIRSAL Bank Plc, in 2021.

Counsel Iheanacho such a loan was alien to their client, who has suffered untold hardship occasioned by these deductions.

It also noted that following more enquiry to unravel the reason for the alleged illegal deductions, it was discovered that Mr. Nwoke Caleb Chinedu was not privy to the opening of such account, and therefore, did not receive a loan from NIRSAL Bank Plc.

The counsel further said it equally found that their client鈥檚 particulars, his BVN, name and others were utilised to acquire the said loan from the NIRSAL Bank Plc without his knowledge of such account and loan received.

鈥淔urthermore our client did not receive nor did he benefited from such loan/grant to the extent of paying for what he did not receive or benefit from.

鈥淏e that as it may, our client has suffered greatly to shock, embarrassment, defamation and BVN defaultment by the CBN for future transactions,” said Iheanacho.

The statement added: 鈥淚n all ramifications, we hereby give the NIRSAL Bank Plc a period of seven days pre-action notice upon receipt of this letter.鈥�

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