A Nigerian customer has accused Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited of delaying the release of funds in his account following its closure as part of the bank’s alleged exit from personal banking.
The customer, Charles Igbinidu, a Nigerian resident in the United States, said the bank notified him via email that his account had been closed and advised him to contact its customer service team regarding any outstanding balance.
According to Igbinidu, he subsequently requested that the remaining funds in his account be transferred to his United Bank for Africa (UBA) account and provided the necessary banking details.
In response, the bank, through an email signed by Peter Okuyelu, a Client Experience Analyst, asked him to complete and return a form to facilitate the transfer.
The bank reportedly assured him that the funds would be credited to his nominated account upon receipt of the completed documentation. It also clarified that transfers could be made to commercial banks but not to fintech institutions.
Igbinidu said he complied with the request, submitting the completed form alongside his UBA account details and a copy of his international passport’s data page.
However, the process reportedly encountered another hurdle when Linda Ejiogu, another Client Experience Analyst, contacted him and requested that he initiate the closure of his US dollar account.
The bank official reportedly cited an outstanding debit balance of $20.49, representing an annual debit card fee.
Disputing the charge, Igbinidu said he had not used or held a debit card linked to the account for nearly a decade. He added that Ejiogu later confirmed that the issue had been resolved.
Despite this, Igbinidu said the expected transfer was not made, prompting him to contact the bank about a month later to demand an explanation for the delay.
Responding to his inquiry, Okuyelu reportedly informed him that his transfer request had been rejected due to an alleged irregularity in his signature.
He was subsequently asked to sign the relevant documents in accordance with the signature on the bank’s records and make his registered phone number available for verification.
Igbinidu said he complied with the latest request but had yet to receive his money.
He further claimed that an internal source informed him that his account had been classified as dormant, with some individuals within the bank allegedly assuming that he was deceased.
The customer said he had since established that he was alive and reiterated his demand for the release of his funds.
Beyond his personal experience, Igbinidu alleged that other former customers were also facing difficulties recovering money left in accounts closed by the bank.
He therefore urged affected customers to contact the bank and persist in pursuing their outstanding balances rather than abandoning their claims because of what he described as deliberate obstacles.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and the bank’s response to the customer’s claims was not included in the account provided.
