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First Bank Withholds Dead Customer’s Balance Over Strange Loan—-A civil servant living in Iwo, Osun State, has shared how First Bank refused to release the money in her late husband’s account.

The civil servant, who does not want to be named, told FIJ that the state government under former governor Rauf Aregbesola owed workers, including her late husband, three years’ half salaries.

In 2023, Ademola Adeleke, the current governor, began paying part of the backlog of unpaid salaries. FIJ learned that when the widow tried to access the money at First Bank, where her husband’s account was domiciled, the bank told her that the money had been written off for a purported unpaid loan, and that she could not withdraw it.

This revelation was surprising because, according to the woman, her husband did not take any loans. Also, when she first went to the bank to confirm the payment in September 2023, the bank official who verified it didn’t mention any unpaid loan.

 

She noted that even after her husband’s passing in 2020, she still carried out some transactions on the account until the debit card issued to the deceased expired. “After I learned that the government had started paying part of the unpaid salaries, I went to his bank in Iwo in September 2023.

An official told me that about N108,000 had been paid into my husband’s account. However, I could not access it because it was not my account,” she told FIJ. “Then I made inquiries from my colleagues, and I gathered that I would have to notify the state government, who would then reach out to the bank so the money could be released to me.”

The deceased man’s wife told FIJ that she secured a letter of administration, dated November 23, 2023, from the state government through the state’s ministry of justice.

“I took the letter to First Bank in Iwo. I also wrote a letter of reactivation of the account, but I still could not access the money. I went to the bank again sometime in February 2024, and an official claimed the account had been written off due to loan balances.

But I know my husband had no unpaid loan. “When I asked them to provide his account statement, the official said I wouldn’t be able to get it. But he said he would email the headquarters about the whole issue.” In response to FIJ’s email sent in March, Thaddeus Ozioko, an official from First Bank, wrote:

“In consideration of the sensitive nature of your request, we regret to inform you that we are unable to provide assistance through this channel. Kindly note that your request will need to be addressed in person at one of our branches.”

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UBA Plc, CEO Alawuba, Others Face Criminal Charges Over Osun LG Accounts

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UBA Plc

UBA Plc, CEO Alawuba, Others Face Criminal Charges Over Osun LG Accounts—-Osun State government has initiated a criminal charge against United Bank for Africa (UBA) its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Oliver Alawuba, the bank’s Secretary and Group Legal Adviser, Mr. Billy Odum, and Mr. Chukwuma Nweke, the bank’s Deputy Managing Director, before an Osogbo Chief Magistrate’s Court, Osun State capital, over the state’s local government funds.

UBA Plc and its officials are charged on an alleged 31 count-charge of infractions involving opening of bank accounts for the state’s 30 local government councils, in a marked MOS/601c/2025.

In the count One, Osun State government alleged that the UBA Plc and its officials on or about December 9, 2025, and on subsequent days, at UBA’s Osun State branch office located in the Olonkoro Area of Osogbo, conspired to commit felony by opening, operating and maintaining what it described as illegal Osun State Local Government Council accounts.

They were specifically accused of allowing the opening, operation and maintenance of accounts for each of the local government councils “by unknown private individuals as signatories” after the Local Government Service Commission had introduced to the defendants, Directors of Administration and General Services, and Directors of Finance of all the local governments as signatories to the councils’ statutory accounts.

Court documents indicate that the remaining counts similarly relate to the alleged opening and operation of accounts connected to all the 30 local government councils in Osun State, actions which the state government contended were carried out unlawfully.

The alleged offence, according to the charge occurred within the Osogbo Magisterial District and is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume 2, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002. And Sections 2 and 3 (1) and (2), and punishable under section 5(1) and (2) of Osun State Local Government Accounts Administration Law, 2025.”

At the last hearing of the charge, the Chief Magistrate, A. A. Adeyeba, ordered that the defendants be served by their various email addresses and other means of substituted service.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to January 30, 2026, for hearing.

At the time of filing this report, no plea had been taken from the defendants, and UBA had yet to issue an official public response to the charges.

The case is expected to attract significant public and legal interest, given its implications for local government finances and the involvement of one of Nigeria’s major commercial banks.

Additionally report from VANGUARD

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BREAKING: Victor Osimhen Stars As Nigeria Beat Algeria To Set Up Morocco Semi-Final Clash

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Nigeria Beat Algeria To Set Up Morocco Semi-Final Clash

BREAKING: Victor Osimhen Stars As Nigeria Beat Algeria To Set Up Morocco Semi-Final Clash—-The Super Eagles of Nigeria have qualified for the semi-final of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The Super Eagles pulled off a stunning display to beat Algeria 2-0 in their quarter-final clash on Saturday evening, to book their spot.

Eric Chelle’s men dominated the Desert Foxes for most of the first half, but failed to find the back of the net.

The closest Nigeria came to opening the scoring, came when Calvin Bassey’s effort was cleared off the line.

But in the second half, Victor Osimhen headed in Bruno Onyemaechi’s cross, before setting up Akor Adams for the second goal.

The three-time African champions will now clash with the hosts Morocco for a place in the final.

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