Wole Oyesiji, a Lagos-based automobile mechanic, has recounted how N2,377,150 was stolen from his United Bank for Africa (UBA) account after a bank official worked on his bank app.

Speaking with FIJ, Oyesiji said he went to a branch of the bank in Palm Avenue, Mushin, to set up his bank app and a bank official offered to assist him.

“On May 18, I went to a UBA branch to set up my bank app because I didn’t know how it works and they said I needed to use it,” he told FIJ.

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“On getting to the bank, I met a customer care officer who directed me to Christiana, another bank official in the banking hall, to help me.

“Christiana asked to install the app on my phone because I did not visit the bank with my glasses. She created the username, the password and the transaction pin. She also requested my debit card, and I gave it to her. She said she needed it to complete the setup.”

The automobile mechanic said four days after he left the bank, his entire savings left his account and was transferred in tranches of N200,000 to several people he had never met in his life. They were Hamudalat Akinpelu, Prosper Egbede, Muhammed Ozzi, Justina Chiedozie, Victoria Obasola, Aminu Garba, Baraana Sanusi, Mustapha, Osobase Charles, and Oghogho Ighosotu.

“I left the bank without a thought that my bank app had been compromised by Christiana because she was a bank official,” said the mechanic.

“I did not use the app when I got home because I couldn’t find my way around it since I hadn’t used it before. Four days after I went to the bank, I woke up around 3 am to see a series of debit alerts on my phone. It was the last bank alert that woke me up.

“I started shouting and rushed to the bank first thing in the morning. I lodged my complaint to the bank manager, and I told her I suspected Christiana, the lady who helped me with the app.

“Surprisingly, the bank manager insisted she was not the one. The bank manager claimed she was a professional. But then, she created my bio on the app, and the transaction pin.”

Oyesiji said when he was not satisfied with their response, he reported to the police.

“When I got there, they said they would send a letter of invitation to the bank. After the bank got the invite, they came with Christiana,” he said.

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“The police tried to mediate the case, but they asked us to return the following day. When I returned there, I noticed they had been compromised and were acting like they were going to sweep the case under the carpet.

“This is because ever since I have been returning there, the police have refused to take visible actions. The bank manager and the police are playing games with me.”

FIJ’s calls and email to UBA via Ramon Nasir, the bank’s group head, media and external relations and public relations officer, on Wednesday morning had not been responded to at press time.