Emmanuel Adebayo, an Ogun State-based civil servant, has detailed how N212, 250 mysteriously left his United Bank for Africa (UBA) account for a Sportybet and an Opay account.

Speaking with FIJ, Adebayo said he had received a series of debit alerts for the unauthorised transactions on February 3 while he was preparing to leave home for a physiotherapy session.

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“It happened on February 3 around 1 pm. I was preparing to leave home for a physiotherapy session,” Adebayo said.

“When I got to Ogudu, I was notified of a debit transaction. I checked my phone and before I could say anything, a series of debit alerts followed and I saw that my account had been emptied.

“I immediately visited a UBA branch where I told them to put a Post No Debit (PND) on it. At the bank, I was told the transaction was initiated from a Sportybet and then moved to an Opay account.

“I have only banked with UBA all my life and I have never operated an Opay account.”

Adebayo told FIJ that he had written several complaints to the bank and was told to expect a response in a total of 27 working days. He said after the deadline elapsed, no positive news came from its officials.

“I began the process of recovering my money. I wrote some statements, asked them to freeze my account and also had the Opay bank account they said my money was sent to suspended,” the civil servant said.

“Afterwards, I was told to expect a response in seven working days. I waited and the bank requested for another 20 days to fix the problem. I waited all 27 days and got nothing in return.”

Adebayo said when he wrote to Tony Elumelu, former Group Managing Director/ CEO of the bank, a team was immediately set up to resolve the issue.

“Later, the team that was set up also refused to act on the recovering of my money,” he said.

“There were so many teams because I remember one of them said he was from the forensic unit. They said they would have to do something on it again that I should give them some time.

“After a while, I took the matter directly to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“UBA gave a comprehensive detail of the transaction to CBN and also told me that they had succeeded in giving me the details of the unauthorised transaction and that they didn’t think they could take it further.”

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Adebayo told FIJ that it became even more frustrated when the bank asked him to solicit the help of the police in order to recover his money.

“My bank now told me I could take it up with the police if I am still insistent on getting my money back,” he said.

“My bank cannot even defend me. UBA saw that my money was sent to accounts I don’t operate, and they can’t even push further.

“Till now, I haven’t gotten a received a refund from them.”

FIJ contacted UBA via email for comments on the matter, but no response had been received at press time.