UBA staff elopes with N25 million depositors’ funds

A driver attached to the Okota, Lagos branch of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) has eloped with N25 million meant for some automated teller machines, ATM, around the zone.

Findings by BusinessLive shows that the incident took place penultimate week Tuesday and no fewer than five bank officials have since been put on administrative leave over the matter.

Inside sources close to the Okota branch of the bank hinted our correspondent that the fleeing driver in company of two others were heading towards one of the automated teller machines when the two officers reportedly told the driver to pull over so that they (the two officers) could eat at the nearby restaurant.

No sooner than the officers entered into the restaurant that the driver saw an opportunity to make it fast by driving the vehicle to an unknown destination.

It was further learnt that the two officers were disappointed when they arrived at the point where the driver parked the bank’s vehicle as he (the driver) was nowhere to be found.

The two bankers were said to have put up a call to the driver but his telephone line was dead.

The matter was said to have been reported to the zonal control officer, Ms Angela Ikpo who in turn reported the matter to the UBA’s top management through UBA’s DC.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle that was conveying the cash was not equipped with the expected security gadgets such as a panic alarm system.

The safe that was needed to be put in the vehicle was nonexistent. Hence the fleeing driver had free access to the cash as he disappeared into thin air. All the officers involved in the matter were said to have been put on administrative leave as investigation progresses.

Recall, the Nigerian Senate committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, led by Senator Ayo Akinyelure, recently summoned the group managing director of UBA, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, over allegation of N41 billion fraud associated with the liquidated Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL).

UBA via a petition was alleged to have defrauded the liquidated Nigerian Telecommunications Limited ( NITEL) of about N41billion from N42 billion liquidators fund of the telecommunications company deposited thereafter being sold to MTEL.

Mr. Ramon Nasir, Group Head, External and Media Relations, UBA Plc, did not respond to calls and text messages placed across to his mobile line as at press time.