The decision of Access Bank to place embargoes on the accounts of some #EndSARS protesters has resulted in Nigerians embarking on a boycott of the bank.
We reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently obtained an order from a Federal High Court in Abuja to freeze 20 of such accounts in Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, United Bank of Africa, and Zenith Bank.
This led to accusations that Access Bank froze the accounts before the order which is being challenged in court.
Also Read: #EndSARS: There Is Nothing Wrong With The Social Media Bill – Sen. Ali Ndume
Some Nigerians on Twitter said Stanbic IBTC rejected a similar order from CBN.
“They messed with the wrong generation. #BoycottAccessBank,” Aisha Yesufu, one of the #EndSARS protesters, said on Twitter, on Saturday, November 14.
#BoycottAccessBank is gaining wide publicity within the Nigerian community on Twitter, though slowly.
“The bank gave out their customers’ details to (a) third party and froze their account without court order. They allowed to be used by the government; while some banks refused the order from the government and stood by it. We are doing this to teach them lessons because it can happen to anyone,” one Twitter user, @OlaJoel12, said.
“Closing an account doesn’t necessarily demand you going to the bank; just transfer all the available cash you have in @myaccessbank to other banks. #BoycottAccessBank. Pass it on,” another Twitter user, @ogbode_, said.
One Twitter user, @typical_naija, said if the campaign against Access Bank succeeds, the people would have successfully sent a “strong message” to the Nigerian government.
One Farida Adamu (@thefaridaadamu) went a step further to display on Twitter; a letter requesting Access Bank to close her two accounts with the bank; apparently to motivate other Nigerians to take similar steps.
In a step to salvage its reputation, Access Bank issued a statement; expressing sympathy to their customers – eight of them – whose accounts have been frozen due to the court order.
The bank said that it is eager to have the issue resolved as soon as possible.
“It is common knowledge that we and the entire banking industry are regulated entities; and therefore operates under the authority of our regulators and law enforcement agencies. As such we are compelled to with regulatory directives,” the bank said in the statement titled, we are for you, always.
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