In a situation where a banking institution like Wema Bank, Asaba Branch, can allegedly be involved in fraudulent activities, what hope do those banking with them to have assurance or feel secured that their monies and other treasures in the bank’s custody were safe.
It all started when the National Union Of Local Government Employees, Oshimili North Local Government Area Chapter,NULGE, wanted to buy One Hundred And Four plots of land of 50feet by 100feet each for the staffs of the Council under the Union. The bank was brought in by the Union to sponsor the project. This sponsorship program will enable the staffers to pay back the loan to the bank within three years.
However a twist came after both parties had signed the agreement, as the bank said that it can only credit the loan money into the account of the Union if only the bank was made a partner in the deal. Without knowing that the bank and the facilitator whose names will be released in due course had negative intention, NULGE accepted.
As at the time of going to the press NULGE has finished paying the loan back to Wema Bank, while the facilitator collected Thirty Four Million Naira, N34million also from NULGE.
What baffled the eyes was that, having finished paying back the loan years back, NULGE has been unable to access the said lands because the bank and the facilitator have refused them access to the lands in question as well as withholding the lands documents.
The saving grace for NULGE, was that, it has all the documents regarding to the financial aspects of the transactions. If not, the bank and the facilitator would have denied ever having any business transaction with NULGE. Efforts made by NULGE, to contact the police authority in Asaba, about the issue did not yield good fruit, as it allegedly seemed that the police has compromised.
A police source that spoke to ZN in anonimity , confirmed that the matter was reported to the police, which the police swung into action. The source stated that the police had invited the facilitator severally, unfortunately, the facilitator had refused to honour the invitations. When asked what other efforts had the police applied in order to make sure that the facilitator was brought to book? The source said himself was not in a position to speak on that. The source was further asked why the police did not invite Wema Bank? He told ZN that he was also not in a position to discuss it.
When ZN visited Wema Bank, a person who claimed to be the Manager, said he did not know anything about such transaction, because no such transaction was executed since assuming office in Asaba, Delta State capital.
Someone that spoke to ZN as a NULGE official who did not want his names to appear in the print confirmed that the union is not relenting on the matter. He stated that NULGE, has petitioned the anti graft agency in Abuja, about the matter.
