Published 1st Jul, 2022

By Opeyemi Lawal

Dauda Pela, an Abuja-based public servant, has narrated how Zuma Cash, an online loan company, sent a defamatory message to his contacts before the expiration of a loan he took from them.

Pela said he had taken the loan to cater for a need, and that the deadline given to him by Zuma Cash was yet to elapse when they began to send defamatory messages to him and everyone on his contact list.

“I took a loan of N16,000 from Zuma Cash and I was expected to repay with N21,000 on June 10. The deadline for payment was yet to elapse when they started sending their defamatory messages,” Pela told FIJ.

“Zuma Cash didn’t wait till midnight before sending the messages. They could have at least waited till midnight or the following day, because I was initially asked to pay at the close of the day.

“By noon, I had started getting messages from them. The day had not even expired by then.”

Pela said when he spoke with one of their agents, he said his time had elapsed as their day closes by noon.

“When I spoke with them on the same day, they said my time has elapsed because their day closes at noon,” he said.

“Some of the loan agents are just selfish. Because they want to close the day, they will want to clear their debt no matter what.

“But legally, it is not supposed to be so. Even in conventional banking, they wait till the end of the day or, at most, till midnight when the day is over.”

In a voice message, Pela told the loan agent to wait till the end of the day, but he refused, saying:

“Mr. Dauda, it is not like I am heartless. I have a heart but you should also understand that I have been trying to adjust your time enough. What time do you want me to wait? For how long do you expect me to wait? I close by 4:00 and you’re telling me that you can’t make it by 4:30. What else do you want me to do? Am I not trying for you? Mr. Man, please don’t let us fight o. I am begging you now. Na me dey beg you now. Don’t let us have any issue, just try. I dey abeg you now. Because it will be like say this man no even get patience. I dey beg you o.”

FIJ contacted Zuma Cash but their phone number was unavailable.

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