"I DEPOSITED N550M AT FIRST BANK ABIRIBA BRANCH TO KEEP IT IN MY COMMUNITY"- BUSINESSMAN DR. AGBAI EKE AGBAI + FIRST BANK RESPONSE. (PHOTO).

 “I Deposited N550 Million at First Bank Abiriba Branch to Keep It in My Community”—Businessman Dr. Agbai Eke Agbai

Renowned businessman Dr. Agbai Eke Agbai has revealed that he deposited N550 million into a fixed deposit account at First Bank’s Abiriba branch in response to an appeal by the bank’s former Group Managing Director. His intention was to ensure that the branch remained operational in his community.

“I deposited that money into a fixed deposit account, with a certificate issued to me by First Bank, based on an appeal from the former Group Managing Director. This was done to prevent the bank from being removed from Abiriba,” he stated.

However, upon his return to Nigeria, Dr. Agbai was met with an alarming discovery.

“I went to First Bank in Abuja to make a withdrawal, only to find out that N55 million had been withdrawn from my account by bank officials. They claimed that I personally made the withdrawals at their Uzuakoli Road branch in Umuahia, but at that time, I was not even in the country,” he explained.

Following an internal review, bank officials admitted to the unauthorized withdrawal and refunded the money. However, this incident raised serious concerns for Dr. Agbai, prompting him to take action.

“That was when I started sensing trouble. When I officially requested to close my fixed deposit account, I was shocked to be informed that my N550 million was nowhere to be found,” he revealed.

FIRST BANK RESPONSE:

First Bank refutes businessman’s N550 million fraud allegation, calls claims baseless

First Bank of Nigeria has firmly denied allegations of fraud leveled against it by an Abia businessman, Dr. Agbai Eke, describing the claims as “entirely unfounded and false.”

Dr. Eke recently filed a lawsuit against the bank in an Abia State High Court, alleging that over N550 million was fraudulently deducted from his fixed deposit account.

According to his lawyer, Ebuka Nwaeze, the deposit was initially made to support the continuation of the bank’s branch in Abiriba and promote community development, given Dr. Eke’s role as a local leader.

The claimant stated that the alleged fraud was discovered in December 2023 when he could no longer access his account via the bank’s mobile app and could not contact the Business Development Manager.