Hotel in Owerri petitions IGP over alleged N100m illicit transactions by Union Bank Plc

..Alleges bank deactivates
E-mail connected to account to cover up frauds

By Benjamin Oloche

A corporation client, Swiss International Beland Hotel, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr. Egbetokun Olukayode over alleged unauthorized transactions on its bank account domiciled at the Union Bank Plc to the tune of N100 million.

The management of the hotel, which is located in Owerri, the Imo State capital, noted that apart from the alleged fraudulent deductions, the Union Bank Plc also deactivated its E-mail connected to the account details to prevent notifications on time.

According to a strong worded petition to the IGP, dated June 30, 2023, the petitioner gave empirical details of how infractions and frauds were allegedly perpetraded by the Union Bank.

The petition signed by F.S. Abah & Associates, on behalf of the hotel reads: “Our services have been retained by Swiss International Beland Hotel Owerri Limited Owerri, Imo State (hereinafter referred to as our Client) on whose instructions and authority we make this correspondence.

“Our client’s case is the recent discovery of monumental and unauthorised fraudulent deductions plus disregard for clear instructions noticed in its accounts domiciled with Union Bank Plc”.

Noting how ordeal of his clients that started on 3rd April, 2023, the petition said, “Our client (through its MD) authorised the transfer of the sum of three million Naira (N3,000,000.00) from account N0 0043302737 to 0175628266. This was for the urgent purchase of items for the running of the hotel.

“This instruction was never carried out by the bank. This refusal to honour an express instruction left our client in great strait and the operations of the hotel were practically brought to a halt.

“On April 7th, 2023, our client, (through its MD) gave another authorisation for the transfer of the sum of three million Naira (N3,000,000.00) from a/c 0171900126 to a/c 0175628266. This was in
preparation for a mega Easter event at the hotel.

“The bank refused and or neglected to honour this instruction, thereby leading to monumental loss of business and customers to our clients as our client could not meet up with its obligations to its customers.

“Deduction of the sum of six million Naira (N6,000,000.00) from account 0171900126. Our client noticed that the above sum was deducted from the above account despite the bank’s failure to honour its two previous authorisations. Our client NEVER authorized the removal of this money.

“Deduction of the sum of ywenty-five million Naira (N25, 000,000.00) from account N0. 0043302737. Our client is in receipt of a debit alert for the sum of Twenty-Five Million Naira (N25,000,000.00) from the above account. This is a fraudulent transaction which was NEVER authorised by our client”.

On noticing the above infractions and fraud by the bank, “We wrote a letter of complaint to the bank on the 11th of April 2023. On the 19th of April 2023, the sum of six million Naira (N6,000,000.00) from account 0171900126 was reversed and returned to our client’s account. On the 29th of April 2023, our client received a credit alerts for the sum of eighty-four million, forty nine thousand, three hundred and sixty five Naira, ninety two Kobo (N89,049,365.92) into its account N0 0043302737 and the said money was removed/deducted after some few minutes.

“In continuation of their illicit and illegal activities despite a clear instruction from the client for them to stay transactions especially on account N0 0043302737, the bank has continued to carry out questionable and illicit transactions on the said account.

“For a period of time now, our client discovered that the email connected to its bank transactions with your bank has been deactivated without its consent.

“It is our client’s firm belief that this is an attempt to cover up the fraud being perpetuated on its accounts and prevent him from being notified on time. Our client never at any material time instructed that its email be deactivated.”

The petitioner called on the police boss to wade into the matter to ensure justice; the petition noted that Union Bank has remained adamant in resolving the issue.