More Nigerians are calling for a boycott of Access Bank as a punishment against it for freezing the accounts of people linked to the recent #EndSARS protests across the country.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently a court injunction to freeze 20 of such accounts in Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, United Bank of Africa, and Zenith Bank.
Some people are accusing Access Bank of freezing the accounts before the order which is being challenged in court.
Some Nigerians on Twitter said Stanbic IBTC rejected a similar order from CBN.
In a statement, the financial institution restated its commitment to deliver superior service to its customers.
The statement followed an online campaign for customers to boycott the commercial bank due to the freezing of accounts of about eight persons involved in the #EndSARS protest, due to a court order obtained by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
However, the bank stated: “We want to express our sympathy for the inconvenience that eight of our customers are going through due to the restrictions on their accounts as mandated by a federal court order. We are eager for this to be resolved as soon as possible.”
Furthermore, the bank noted that: “It is common knowledge that we and the entire banking industry are regulated entities and therefore operate under the authority of our regulators and law enforcement agencies. As such we are compelled to comply with regulatory directives.
“While acknowledging the concern of all well-meaning parties, we urge that enquiries and views be channelled to the relevant regulatory and judicial agencies where the matter is receiving attention. It is therefore surprising that some individuals still choose to target Access Bank in a negative manner despite not being the source of the action.”