FirstBank of Nigeria Limited has refuted allegations of fraud leveled against it by a customer, Dr. Agbai Eke, describing them as “entirely unfounded and false.”
Eke sued the bank over an alleged fraudulent withdrawal of N550m from his fixed deposit account at the bank’s former Abiriba branch, which has been relocated to Uzuakoli.
In the suit filed by his lawyer, Ebuka Nwaeze, the claimant stated that FirstBank had refused to return his deposit.
But reacting, the Acting Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications of the bank, Olayinka Ijabiyi, in a statement on Friday, said the FBN’s internal findings indicated that the issue stemmed from “unprofessional and unethical dealings” between Eke and a former employee of the bank.
According to the bank, the transactions in question were facilitated through a personal relationship and occurred outside its knowledge or involvement.
“Our findings on the matter indicate unprofessional and unethical dealings between Dr. Agbai Eke and a former FirstBank employee, using a personal relationship to facilitate unauthorised transactions outside the bank’s knowledge or involvement.
“As the matter is currently before the court, we will refrain from further comment to allow the court to dispassionately determine the issues before it,” the statement read.
FirstBank further disclosed that it had filed a report with law enforcement agencies to ensure a proper investigation, noting that suspects have already provided “useful statements” to aid the probe.
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and accountability, the bank assured its stakeholders that it would continue to operate with “the highest standards of integrity and professionalism” while working to protect its customers’ interests.
