On Saturday, February 5, Oloyede Awokunle Abel went to the Zenith Bank branch along 18, Iju Road, Pen Cinema, to withdraw money from the ATM. Unfortunately, the machine failed to process his withdrawal request or return his debit card.

Oloyede quickly made a complaint and waited for his card to be retrieved, but the bank’s staff could not help him at the time. A few minutes after he stepped out of the bank, he received a series of debit alerts on his mobile phone until the total sum of ₦141,000 was deducted from his bank account.

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Oloyede was requested to return on Monday, February 7, but so far, neither his debit card nor his money has been recovered.

“Their excuse was that another person may have used the card immediately he left,” Oloyede’s son told FIJ.

Faulting the bank’s argument, he said his father waited for over 30 minutes to monitor the ATM and confirm if his card would be ejected.

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According to Oloyede’s son, the bank failed to salvage the situation, as the card remains at large and the N141,000 deducted hangs in limbo.

There has been a pattern of unwarranted withdrawals and thefts at Nigerian banks in recent years. Oloyede’s son fears the bank is taking his father’s complaints with levity.

FIJ made many calls to Zenith Bank Customer Care Centre and the Pen Cinema branch‘s hotline, but they were not answered. An email sent to the bank had not been responded to at press time.