Charles Ajiboye, a federal civil servant in Edo State, has petitioned
Edo State House of Assembly, alleging that the Automated Teller
Machine, ATM, of a new generation bank in Benin, was dispensing fake
Naira notes.
According to the petition, which was read during the House’s
proceedings yesterday by the Clerk of the House, Mr. James Omoataman,
the petitioner said he used the ATM close to Oba Market.
“Sir, to my ruddiest shock, on presenting N3,000 for payment after
buying some food items, the seller observed that one of the notes was
fake”, it read.
“I immediately went back to the bank and accosted some security men
on duty who blatantly told me to go away as there was nothing they could
do, that I would not be the first person to withdraw a fake note from
an ATM in Nigeria.
“Irked by this response, I went to Oba Market Police Station, where I
formally reported the matter. The bank’s act, for dispensing fake Naira
notes via its ATM, is a crime – short and simple.
“I may not be the first person to have fallen victim of this crime by
the bank. Perhaps, other victims may have considered fake notes so
insignificant to belabour themselves over.
“Arising from the above, it is my belief that if this practice is not
checked by appropriate sanctions, including sanctions by the
supervising bank, the CBN, there are tendencies that fake Naira notes
will continue to be dispensed alongside genuine bank notes by the bank.
“I, therefore, seek the intervention of the Edo State House of
Assembly by investigating the matter with a view to recommending
appropriate sanctions on the bank to serve as deterrence to other
banks.”
Speaker of the House, Alhaji Kabiru Adjoto, referred the matter to
the House Committee on Finance to investigate and report to the House
within two weeks.