Fidelity Bank wahala don deep as people dey call EFCC, CBN make dem enter matter
Maureen Aguta
Fidelity Bank Plc, wey before now people dey praise under Madam Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, don enter serious wahala wey don shake trust for Nigeria banking sector.
Plenty tori of fraud, regulatory wahala, and billions of naira debt don begin fly up and down, as people dey shout make Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) quick put mouth for the matter.
Inside the middle of the gbege na one ₦19 billion fraud case wey involve Woobs Resources Limited. One leaked audio wey Sahara Reporters carry show person voice wey dem say be Madam Onyeali-Ikpe own, where she talk say she “bail myself out” with ₦5 billion so police no go arrest am. Police later yarn say the money na “recognizance bond,” but the gist don already shake market people and customers wey dey fear say something no pure for the bank.
Government don already carry Fidelity Bank and some people go court for money laundering and conspiracy. Even though Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) later comot Onyeali-Ikpe name from the charge, the bank still dey inside the case. For one police statement, Onyeali-Ikpe talk say dem move ₦692 million wey belong to Woobs enter suspense account and even deactivate the company contact—without any court order.
No be only Woobs matter dey drag Fidelity o. The bank still get plenty other court wahala and fine dem list as:
- ₦225 billion judgment from Sagecom Concepts Ltd. wey Supreme Court don give.
- ₦10 billion case from Shago Payments (Alerzo Group) over alleged illegal deductions.
- ₦555.8 million fine from Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) for leaking people data.
- Over 65 active court cases wey reach about ₦11.7 billion, according to their 2023 financial report.
Even though Fidelity Bank show ₦385 billion profit before tax for 2024, experts dey warn say all these wahala fit scatter their capital and liquidity balance. If dem dey use bank money settle these cases, e mean say customers’ deposits fit dey inside small risk.
Up till now, CBN never talk anything, and people dey para say their silence fit make the fear worse. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX)