How First Bank Manager Illegally Withdraws N68m from Italy-Based Female Customer’s Account

First Bank of Nigeria has acknowledged that N68 million was fraudulently withdrawn from the account of Glory Omokaro, a customer based in Italy.

The bank admitted to the incident on Monday after Omokaro reported the matter to the popular radio program, Brekete Family.

In a statement, First Bank said, “We confirm the report of fraudulent activity on the account of one of our customers. This incident has been under a thorough investigation since we received the customer’s complaint, with the aim of fully understanding what transpired and resolving the issue to the customer’s satisfaction. Unfortunately, the process has taken longer than expected.

“While the investigation continues, we have restored the customer’s account based on our findings so far, as we believe this is the most appropriate action for our customer. We regret any inconvenience caused and emphasize that this incident does not reflect the principles and ethics of our longstanding operations.”

Omokaro, who moved to Italy in 2005, opened a savings account with First Bank at the Ring Road Branch in Benin City, Edo State, during a visit to Nigeria in 2013. She continued to deposit money into the account while staying in touch with the branch manager, Mr. Gabriel.

In 2018, during another visit to Nigeria, Omokaro subscribed to the bank’s mobile application to track her transactions from Italy. She also applied for a debit card, which she used during her stay. The account remained secure until 2021 when her ATM card allegedly expired.

Omokaro reached out to Mr. Gabriel for help in renewing the debit card. He advised her to either send someone on her behalf or visit in person. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, she was unable to return immediately. However, in May 2023, she visited the bank branch to withdraw funds and renew her card, only to be told there was no money in her account.

“I met with customer service, and they informed me that I only had N3,000 in my account, not N68 million,” said Peter Uvieruve, speaking on behalf of Omokaro.

Omokaro requested a bank statement, but the bank initially declined. A lawyer later secured the statement, revealing that on October 13, 2022, N51.7 million was withdrawn from the account, then returned, possibly to check if the transaction would be noticed. In November 2022, a series of withdrawals totaling N18 million were made, leaving only N3,000 in the account.

“We reached out to the EFCC, but they said they were currently focused on Yahoo boys. The DSS also declined to assist, and even the lawyer started acting as though he was compromised,” Uvieruve added.