Tension as NUBIFIE Shuts Down Heritage Bank Headquarters

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Business activities at the headquarters of Heritage Bank on Victoria Island, Lagos, have been disrupted by officials of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE).

The group stormed the head office of the financial institution to shut it down over the decision of the bank’s management to lay off about 1,000 employees.

The association claimed Heritage Bank did not follow due process to disengage the workers, though efforts by Business Post to reach out to the lender through its Head of Corporate Communications, Ozena Utulu, for comment on the issue were unfruitful as of the time of filing this report.

It was gathered that NUBIFIE wants the immediate reversal of the mass sacking of Heritage Bank staff, vowing not to back down until this request is granted.

According to information reaching this newspaper, more branches of the financial institution would be picketed by the union and banking activities disrupted.

The organisation maintained that if the workers must be sacked, Heritage Bank would be forced to pay the affected persons their rightful severance packages.