3 weeks ago
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The managing manager and main enforcement serviceman of Fine & Country West Africa, Mrs Udokanma Okonjo, has petitioned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) implicit claims she owed Providus Bank unpaid overdraft $97,000.
She described the allegation arsenic false, unsubstantiated, and a gross usurpation of owed process.
In the petition missive signed by her counsel, Barrister Sunny Omoragbon, and seen by LEADERSHIP, Udokanma Okonjo said the case, presently connected appeal, arose from the bank’s unilateral re-classification of a debit-card relationship arsenic a recognition facility, without consent, agreement, oregon documentation.
The quality stems from a Providus Bank assertion that Mrs Okonjo operated and failed to repay an overdraft facility.
The Federal High Court, Lagos, had ruled successful favour of the slope but reduced the involvement complaint to 10 per cent.
However, Okonjo, done her counsel, has appealed, asserting that nary specified installation existed and that the judgement was based connected incomplete oregon misleading information.
Omoragbon stated that “Mrs Okonjo ne'er requested, negotiated, oregon signed for immoderate overdraft facility.
“The alleged indebtedness is simply a conception of arbitrary charges imposed without contractual authorization oregon transparency.”
He further revealed that much than 70 per cent of the disputed magnitude comprises unapproved involvement and charges, and that a Motion for Stay of Execution has already been filed pending proceeding connected October 28, 2025.
Beyond the fiscal dispute, Omoragbon condemned the alleged signifier of harassment and unprofessional connection from slope officials, citing aggregate threatening WhatsApp messages from a Providus Bank unit member, Olayinka Lawuyi, of the bank’s Risk Management department.
According to him, One specified message, dated July 4, 2024, read: “Do you privation your indebtedness connected societal media? If I bash not spot your outgo wrong the adjacent week, we shall commence afloat recovery, which you mightiness find embarrassing.”
Omoragbon described this arsenic “a blatant enactment of intimidation and reputational bullying,” successful wide usurpation of Central Bank of Nigeria’s Consumer Protection Guidelines and basal standards of nonrecreational banking communication.
He added that Okonjo’s lone enactment anterior to the threats was a ceremonial written petition for clarification, dated March 18, 2024, asking the slope to supply documentation, transaction history, and declaration grounds for a indebtedness she did not recognise.
“A lawsuit has the close to question clarification,” helium emphasised. “To weaponise specified a petition with threats of nationalist embarrassment is unethical and unacceptable successful immoderate fiscal system.”
Omoragbon besides noted correspondence from the aforesaid slope authoritative admitting that “you bash not person corresponding magnitude successful your account,” portion astatine different times the relationship serviceman suggested that funds were paid into Mrs Okonjo’s relationship by Walter Akpani, the managing director, oregon different slope staff, a signifier helium described arsenic irregular and confusing.
He said the defence volition prosecute redress not lone done the courts but besides done petitions to the Central Bank of Nigeria, Consumer Protection Council, and different regulatory bodies, urging a thorough reappraisal of the bank’s handling of lawsuit accounts and communications.
“This lawsuit is nary longer conscionable astir 1 client,” Omoragbon stated. “It raises cardinal questions astir transparency, consent, and accountability successful Nigeria’s banking sector. No lawsuit should beryllium subjected to intimidation oregon unconsented fiscal exposure.”
Industry observers judge the entreaty could acceptable an important precedent connected contractual consent, user rights, and the limits of banks’ discretionary powers successful managing lawsuit accounts.
English (US) ·