Customer sues bank, alleges N5.3m unauthorised debit





A Lagos-based businessman, Onah Happy, has dragged Keystone Bank Limited before the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere, alleging unauthorised debit of N5.3m from his account in two days.

Happy claimed that the N5,340,350 was transferred from his savings account in 17 tranches to different accounts between May 12 and 13, 2016 without his authorisation.



The customer said though he had banked with Keystone Bank for six years, he never applied for Internet or mobile banking application from the bank, stressing that his only mode of withdrawing from his account was through the Automated Teller Machine.

Happy, who averred that his only mobile phone was Nokia model 220, which had no Internet connectivity, said he was shocked to have been told by the bank that the 17 transactions were conducted by him online.

He said after reporting the alleged fraudulent transactions to the police, N1m was returned into his account in September 2016.

“All the 17 tranches of the fraudulent transfers were all disguised. No description of the recipients of the funds, the purpose of the purported transfers etc despite the new operative Bank Verification Number system.

“The claimant states that he had demanded (at different times in 2016 and 2017) from the defendant payment of the balance  N4,340,350.

“The defendant has failed, refused and/or neglected to pay the claimant his money which is the claimant’s capital for running his cooking gas business.

“The claimant avers that the defendant’s failure to pay the balance of the unauthorised debits has resulted to a near collapse of his business, emotional trauma, pain and untold hardship,” Happy averred in his affidavit.

He is, through his lawyer, Mr. Rafiu Bello, seeking an order compelling Keystone Bank Ltd. to reverse the alleged unauthorised N5.3m transfer from his account.


He wants the refund to be made with 25 per cent interest from May 12, 2016 till judgment day and 10 per cent interest from judgment day till the final liquidation of the sum.

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