Banking
Court Orders Bank to Pay Customer N85m Over Invalid Post-No-Debit Order
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A popular commercial bank has been directed by Justice S. U. Bature of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja to pay one of its customers, Abhulimen & Co, the sum of N85 million as damages for an invalid post-no-debit (PND) order obtained from a Magistrate Court to freeze its account.
Delivering the judgement, the court held that it was wrong for the financial institution to freeze the account of its customer without notification, stressing that the order relied on to carry out the action was invalid as the Magistrate Court had no jurisdiction over the matter.
According to the judge, the legal department of the lender, manned by lawyers, should have advised the company on the legal implication of the action.
“The legal department of the first defendant, being lawyers, should have been aware of this position of the law and taken the appropriate action in this situation, as they ought not to have obeyed the court order in the first place.
“Thus, the first defendant was wrong to have placed a PND on the account of the claimant based on the order of a court lacking the requisite jurisdiction to do so. I so hold,” the judge held.
Justice Bature further ruled that, “It is the humble opinion of this court that, the 1st defendant owed the claimant a duty of care of duly informing her that her account had been frozen.
“The first defendant placed a Post-No-Debit on the account of the claimant’s firm, but same was not communicated to the claimant until she encountered difficulties in the use of the said account.
“It is the humble opinion of this court that, the first defendant owed the claimant a duty of care of duly informing her that her account had been frozen.
“The failure of the first defendant to inform the claimant of the state of affairs on her account amounts to negligence on the part of the first defendant and hence, a breach of duty of care and due diligence owed to the claimant. I so hold.”
As a result, the judge ordered the bank and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), which was joined in the matter, to “pay the sum of N60 million to the claimant as general damages for the embarrassment, psychological trauma, financial distress, emotional stress and grave inconveniences suffered by the claimant due to the defendants’ actions.”
They are also to “jointly and severally pay the sum of N25 million to the claimant as cost of this action” and must the bank and must publish a public apology to the customer in two national newspapers and on its website.
It was gathered that Abhulimen & Co filed a suit marked FCT/HC/CV/2194/2024 before the court through Mr Paulyn Abhulimen (SAN), claiming that in March 2024, Zenith Bank froze the account domiciled in its Abuja branch based on an order the NPF secured from a Chief Magistrates Court in Mararaba Gurku, Nasarawa State.
By Dipo Olowookere
Tech enthusiasts interested in participating in the Take on Squad Hackathon, organised by Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Plc, can now enter the contest via the official portal at https://squadco.com/hackathon.
The programme enters its third edition in 2026, and the theme for this year is Smart Systems: The Intelligent Economy, according to a statement issued by the organisers.
The hackathon brings together developers, designers and entrepreneurs across Nigeria in a collaborative environment to build practical solutions across key sectors, including financial services, healthcare, commerce and digital inclusion.
Participants are challenged to design and build intelligent, data-driven solutions that transform how communities engage with money.
It is part of the organisation’s commitment to fostering innovation, empowering talent, and supporting the development of technology-driven solutions that address real-world challenges across Africa.
“Today’s dynamic, digitally driven world demands continuous innovation, which is shaping how economies grow, how businesses scale, and how societies evolve.
“Through Take on Squad Hackathon, we are deliberately investing in the ideas and talent that will define the future.
“Our objective is not simply to encourage innovation, but to enable its translation into scalable solutions that deliver real and measurable impact.
“This reflects GTCO’s role as a financial services platform that connects capital, capability, and creativity to drive sustainable progress,” the Managing Director of HabariPay, Ms Eduofon Japhet, stated.
The social coding event remains a cornerstone of HabariPay’s mission to foster creativity and problem-solving among emerging tech talents. Competing teams will leverage Squad’s advanced APIs to create scalable digital tools that address everyday challenges faced by businesses and individuals.
Through initiatives such as this, GTCO continues to position itself at the intersection of finance, technology and enterprise, actively shaping the future of digital transformation in Africa.
By Dipo Olowookere
Banking services will not be interrupted throughout the Easter public holidays, from Friday, April 3, to Monday, April 6, 2026, for any reason, Ecobank Nigeria has assured its customers.
In a message over the weekend, the member of Africa’s leading pan-African banking group, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, said customers would continue to enjoy quality service delivery during the period.
It noted that its secure and robust digital platforms would remain fully operational to support financial activities during the festive period.
All digital channels, including the Ecobank Mobile App, Ecobank Business App, USSD *326#, Ecobank Online, OmniPlus, Omnilite, EcobankPay, Ecobank Cards, ATMs, PoS terminals, and over 35,000 Ecobank Xpress Point agent locations nationwide, will remain accessible throughout the holiday, the financial institution further said, urging customers to conveniently conduct transactions at any time using this wide range of digital solutions.
Ecobank customers were encouraged to maximise the bank’s alternative channels for transfers, bill payments, airtime purchases, card services, and account management.
They were also advised to stay vigilant by shopping only on trusted websites; avoiding the sharing of PINs, passwords, and one-time passwords (OTPs); refraining from banking on public Wi-Fi networks; being cautious of urgent or emotionally charged messages; and regularly monitoring their account activity.
“Customers will continue to enjoy a full bouquet of services during the holiday, including local and international funds transfers, bill payments, airtime top-ups, merchant payments, balance enquiries, account statements, and cardless cash withdrawals via ATMs,” the Head of Products & Analytics, Consumer & Commercial Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Victor Yalokwu, stated.
“We understand that festive seasons come with increased financial activity, and our priority is to ensure our customers enjoy fast, reliable, and secure banking wherever they are.
“Our digital channels are designed to support uninterrupted transactions, and we have strengthened our systems to guarantee optimal performance throughout the Easter break,” he added.
Mr Yalokwu noted that, “Ecobank remains committed to providing innovative financial solutions and exceptional customer service. We wish all our customers and partners a peaceful and joyful Easter celebration.”
By Dipo Olowookere
Customers may have difficulty accessing the digital platform of Polaris Bank, known as VULTe, during the Easter holidays from Friday, April 3, to Monday, April 6, 2026.
This is because the financial institution is carrying out system maintenance on the platform in its effort to ensure users enjoy a better banking experience.
In a notice over the weekend, the lender said “access to VULTe may be limited,” but it provided an alternative, which is the PolarisXperience.
Polaris Bank, which expressed regret over “any inconvenience” this action may cause its customers, said the “scheduled system maintenance” would happen from 10 pm to 8 am daily, promising that normal service would return after the maintenance.
“In continuation of our commitment to delivering a seamless and improved banking experience, we will be conducting a scheduled system maintenance during the Easter holidays.
“During this period, access to VULTe may be limited. We have provided an alternative channel, PolarisXperience:
“Please go to our website to onboard or use it as an existing user. You can also use this link: (https://elogin.polarisbanklimited.com).
“We regret any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. Normal service will resume after the maintenance,” parts of the notice seen by Business Post read.
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