A source close to the bankers also confided in LEADERSHIP last night that the detained bankers who are mostly managers comprise five managers from Fidelity Bank Plc, four from Unity Bank Plc, while the remaining are from other banks.
The source, who sought anonymity because of the nature of the matter said, “I can tell you authoritatively that 20 bankers are being detained by the SSS. Most of the detained bankers are managers and have been detained for about two weeks.
“I can also inform you that they are being detained without trial. Some of the detained managers include five from Fidelity Bank Plc, four from Unity Bank Plc and an average of two from each of the other banks.”
CBN, ASSBIFI wade in
As banks across the nation brace up to down tools in protest against the arrest and continued detention of 13 banks officials, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) have begun efforts at salvaging the situation before it worsens.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP yesterday, the director, corporate communications, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Ugo Okoroafor, said the apex bank was aware of the contentious issues and was already making necessary investigations.
The Monetary Policy Committee of the CBN is currently meeting in Abuja and the CBN governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, is expected to address the press today after the meeting.
Also reacting to the issue, the president of ASSBIFI, Comrade Sunday Salako, said: “The matter is very technical now but we have commenced our investigation on it. We don’t want to say anything for now.”
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) president, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, who was not in the country, said he was not aware of the issue for now.
Meanwhile, an executive of one of the affected banks told LEADERSHIP during a telephone interview that the banks were yet to conclude under which umbrella they would make the strike move, adding that there is the likelihood of the Bankers’ Committee, which is a body of all CEOs of banks in the country, intervening.
The 13 banks directly affected by the arrests are Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Fidelity, Unity, First City Monument, First Bank, Skye, Sterling, Diamond, Ecobank, Wema, Guaranty Trust Bank and CitiBank.
The SSS had subsequently swooped on the 13 banks in which the companies have accounts and even obtained a court order to freeze the accounts. Also, it had begun a systematic arrest and detention of senior officials of the bank in the last two weeks.
“One of those arrested is a director. Some others are risk managers, fraud control and detection officers, zonal and regional coordinators and key IT experts. There are compliance managers among those arrested. There are also account officers, branch managers, chief inspectors and heads of treasury among those arrested. To continue to operate without these key personnel could expose depositors’ funds to serious danger. So, the bank CEOs are thinking it might be safer to close shop to secure depositors’ funds and reduce exposure to a possible collapse of the nation’s banking system,” the senior bank source said.
Apart from the risk of possible compromise of the system, the bank chiefs are also frowning at the propriety of the SSS’ action. They fear that, unlike the EFCC and the CBN, which have the wherewithal to investigate bank transactions and fraud, the SSS may not be treading on a familiar turf.
The source said: “The banks daily, and statutorily, report transactions and fraud alerts to both the EFCC and the CBN. If there is any suspicion over such transactions, the SSS can crosscheck and verify with both the EFCC and the CBN. It is rather shocking that the investigation of transactions by companies of the sons of the Jigawa State governor would warrant such mindless and elaborate disruption of banking operations in 13 banks, which is what this arrest and continued detention of these critical bank officials amount to.”
Leadership
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