Many bank customers have continued to complain about multiple debits from their accounts, despite making repeated appeals.
Some of them who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday, appealed to the Bank Customers Association of Nigeria (BCAN) to step in and protect their rights.
They said the rising bank charges were becoming increasingly discouraging and unnecessary.
A customer of First HoldCo Plc, Mrs Helen Agodo, stated that the daily debits from her account had become unbearable.
Agodo appealed to BCAN to engage the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other relevant regulatory bodies with a view to ending the unauthorised deductions.
“In fact, I do not blame some people who decide not to put their money in a bank. There was a day when I calculated the debit alert charges I received from my bank, and it was up to N1,000 for just a day.
“You can now imagine the total amount the bank will get if they do the same deduction from like 1,000 to 2,000 of their customers,” she said.
Another customer of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc, Miss Cheta Ugochukwu, described the charges as unfair, adding that the development was not a sincere business model.
She said she had recently become aware of BCAN’s activities and called for greater awareness of the association’s role in defending bank customers.
“Personally, I do all my transactions electronically, and I thought that is the basis for the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). My bank charged me about N1,146 for an SMS alert for one month; this seems too much to me.
“I was even charged N100 as Electronic Money Transfer Levy contrary to N50 stipulated by the regulation. I wonder how they calculate this because it is unfair with the current state of the economy,” she said.
Usman Idris, a customer with Fidelity Bank Plc, said that more than N3,700 was deducted from his current account for maintenance.
He expressed regret that when he reported to the bank for clarification, he was asked to submit an official request.
“They told me to write because I asked for clarification, but when they wanted to withdraw my money, they did not ask for my clarification. This is so sad,” he said.
A bank official, who requested anonymity, said their bank charges customers in line with the CBN’s guidelines on bank charges.
Recall that BCAN, led by its President, Uju Ogubunka, had said that it had written to the CBN about the charges being deducted from customers’ accounts.
BCAN is a non-profit organisation and an incorporated trustee focused on educating the Nigerian public about efficient banking practices and fostering a positive banking culture. It serves as a collective voice for bank customers, with members including individuals and corporate organisations who hold or intend to hold bank accounts in Nigeria.
The association actively advocates for customers’ rights.
