Jos Bank Customers Protest Alleged N100m Fraudulent Withdrawals

Scores of aggrieved customers of Jaiz Bank staged a protest at the bank’s main branch in Jos, Plateau State, on Monday, November 2, 2026, over alleged fraudulent transactions involving more than N100 million. The protesters, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Federal Government, come to our rescue, we have been cheated,” “CBN, come to our side, because the money was withdrawn unauthorised,” and “Nigeria Bar Association, the ordinary need you here,” accused the bank of failing to resolve complaints over funds they said were transferred without their authorisation. They called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Federal Government to intervene and help recover their money.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Hashim Faruk said the dispute dated back to 2022, when several customers allegedly lost money through transactions involving a staff member of the bank. He said the bank reported the matter to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Plateau State Police Command, which investigated the allegations. According to him, the police investigation identified a bank employee, Habiba Abdulrahman, as the person who allegedly defrauded the customers, and recommended that the bank refund the affected customers. He said the bank failed to comply with the recommendation, leaving customers like himself, who said he invested millions belonging to his family, including his children and mother, in distress.

However, Jaiz Bank, through its legal adviser, Munir Barau Abdullahi, denied responsibility for the disputed funds. He maintained that the customers entered into private investment arrangements with the former employee and her husband, rather than transactions authorised by the financial institution. According to the bank, the money was not paid into the customers’ personal accounts with the bank, but into the personal accounts of Abdulrahman and her husband, who collected the funds and paid monthly returns until the payments stopped. The bank said the matter is already before the Plateau State High Court, Jos Judicial Division.

The conflicting accounts have left customers demanding answers about how the transactions were conducted, who received the money, and what responsibility the bank bears for transactions allegedly facilitated by its employee. The customers insist that all transactions took place inside the banking hall with official documentation, while the bank maintains that the arrangement was a private deal. The allegations have not been established by a court, and the legal process is ongoing.