CUSTOMER OPPRESSION

Banks worldwide spend fortune in wooing prospective customers via adverts, marketing and sponsorship of programs. These efforts suffered a major setback in one of the commercial banks in Nigeria today when a customer was severely beaten by staff and security personnel of the bank.

It all started when one Mr. Paulinus made an earlier transaction in stanbic ibtc bank along   Plot Cm71/72 Gado Nasko Road, kubwa, Abuja on 30th sept. 2013 (eve of Nigeria 53rd  independence anniversary). Mr. Paulinus came back to the bank to register a complain that he was issued a photocopy of the teller of the transaction he earlier made with the bank but he was refused entry as he arrived at about 4:30pm and the bank was closed then. He interacted with one of the security personnel to pass his complain to the staff inside the bank but the security personnel rashly told him off that he should go that the bank has closed for the day. Because of his anxiety and desperation to clarify the issue on the transaction he earlier did, he told the security personnel he was going to use the staff entrance knowing fully well that tomorrow was a work free day and that would amount to loosing the business he had already paid  for and also clear the air on the banking transaction made since he was issued a photocopy of the teller. He was accompanied inside through the staff entrance by the security personnel.

Eye witnesses saw him discussing with the bankers in the banking hall and within a pace of few seconds, Mr Paulinus was under series of blows and hits from the bankers and the security personnel. He was seriously beaten and his head was hit on the glass door and it was shattered.

Customers outside the bank at the ATM gallery tried to intervene but all cries and pleas fell on deaf ears as the bank’s operation manager and other staff rained blows and punches on their helpless customer. When the customers at the ATM gallery pushed further, they were bathed with water from the dispenser in the banking hall. This heightened the grievances of eye witnesses in front of the banking hall and made them bring the staff to their senses after threats of lawsuits and direct confrontation on every staff from eye witnesses.

The witnesses took pictures of the incident and are threatening to make it go viral in the media and on the social media.

The case was transferred to phase 4 police station in kubwa.