BIG SHAME: Worker loses N350,000 to fraudster in Wema Banking Hall
BIG SHAME: Worker loses N350,000 to fraudster in Wema Banking Hall
By Dupe Ogunsola
A middle aged man, Najeem Ogundele has lost N350,000 right in the Banking Hall of Wema Bank.
It happened when a criminal approached him with the teller of the bank claiming to be a Bank Staff.
The thief took N350,000 cash from Ogundele with the escuse he would help him pay the money to beat the crowd on the line.
The crook took the teller and the N350,000 cash inside one of the Bank rooms but several hours later he didn’t turn up forcing Ogundele to raise the alarm.
The crime was committed at the Wema Bank, Aiyetoro branch, Ogun State, Irohinoodua was told.
Ogundele said worst still, his complaints to the bank were ignored by the Bank Manager.
The money does belonged to Mr Obi Emmanuel, the employer of Ogundele.
Many are worried about that such a crime could be committed in the banking hall of a bank that should be the guiding light of Nigerian financial institutions.
“This is terrific. It shows that human beings can be stolen in the hall of a bank,” one of the depositors at Wema Bank told Irohinoodua. He said it was not the first time such a thing would happend expressing shock that the crook actually came from the bulk room of the bank.
Ogundele said, “Last week, my boss sent me to deposit N350,000 at the Aiyetoro branch of Wema Bank and when I got there, customers were many outside the bank.
“A man suddenly came out of the bank and told the security men that they should let those of us who wanted to deposit huge sums of money into the bank.
“After I entered, the same man came to me and asked how much I wanted to deposit and when I told him, thinking he was a bank official, he gave me three tellers and told me to fill in the details.
“I was waiting for the signed copies from the bulk room and when it was taking too long, I raised the alarm.”
Obi Emmanuel told The Punch that “Since we reported the case to the police, both the bank and the police have not done much to ensure I get my money. I am just a small businessman and that money means a lot to me.
“We later learnt that this kind of a thing has been happening recently in that bank.”
The bank’s branch manager, Sharafadeen Awayeti did now deny the incidence took place. He said Ogundele may have been charmed making the whole shocking episode even more embarrassing.
Wema Bank is expected to be the pride of Nigeria being one of the oldest but there have been complains about the quality if staff and the poor ethnics associated with the bank in recent times.
