Yes, Access Bank has hurriedly jumped out with a terse statement, claiming that the video circulating on social media that contained allegations of missing funds and unethical behaviour involving the bank is false and also assured the public of our unwavering commitment to the safety and security of our customers’ fund.
Trouble of the bank had started when a leading social media critic, Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, revealed that the customer died on April 17, 2019.
Edet, who was said to have been ill before he died, reportedly told his sister, Bassey Edet Awa, of all the properties he owns.
This included N500 million in his account with Access Bank PLC.
Because he did not leave behind a will, Edet’s sister went to obtain a letter of administration.
Following this, she was advised to write the Central Bank of Nigeria to confirm the state of her brother’s accounts in all the banks he has money.
CBN responded, confirming the existence of the over N500 million in Access Bank PLC and others, including Guaranty Trust Bank, Diamond Bank, and Keystone Bank.
While other banks gave her access to the money, Access Bank PLC said nothing of sort exists.
However, experts in forensic reporting and investigations are of the view that such grave accusations against a bank cannot just be rubbished with mere statements of very few lines.
Key part of the Access Bank’s response said in parts: “In the instant case, the allegations of missing funds in the Bank are most untrue and baseless.
“There is no N500million or any other fund or amount missing from the subject customer’s account or from any other customer’s account with us.
“We and other independent stakeholders in the banking industry have thoroughly investigated these allegations and independently arrived at the same conclusions.”
Going through the above three paragraphs, there are key questions Access Bank needs to address and even more quickly before the public;
- What will it cost Access Bank to publicly display the said reports in the last paragraph to convincingly rest this matter?
- Who are the independent stakeholders and are they stakeholders in what?
- Can a stakeholder; if in the bank, give a divergent report on this matter?
Whereas we wait on the bank to swiftly address these critical questions, no doubt, many Nigerians trust Access Bank because the bank seems to operate with the highest ethical standards, and also tend to protect her customers’ interests whilst also respecting privacy laws.
