For the second day running, protesters led by the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations Against Banks’ Fraudulent Practices and Customers Victimization, on Thursday, picketed the Sterling bank, Muhammadu Buhari Way, Central Business District, Abuja.
The protesters had on Wednesday, October 8, stormed the bank’s office, to present a letter but was rebuffed by officials of the bank.
The protesters stayed at the frontage of the bank for three hours before dispersing, but they promised to resume their protest on Thursday.
They kept their promise as they arrived the Sterling Bank office by 10 am, in 14 Coaster buses that brought protesters from all around the Federal Capital Territory.
Recall that the group had on Wednesday, marched to the Central Bank of Nigeria, where they submitted a petition against Sterling Bank to CBN officials.
However, on Thursday, officials of the Bank appeared to receive the petition.
Actually, the Coalition was protesting against the banking industry in general because of, as they put it, the suffocating banking charges and other failings.
But the MIDEN SYSTEMS LTD and the Sterling Bank Plc disagreement over a loan the bank granted MIDEN SYSTEMS provided the lightening rod for this protest which shook Abuja for two consecutive days, drawing crowds of passers by to it, as people narrated their own bitter experiences.
A passer-by said he had just lost N3m from his account.
Even when a military van full of armed soldiers arrived, a soldier there gave the protesters a thumbs up saying “this bank pays our salary late”, though he may not know if his organization was to blame…and not the bank.
According to the organizers, they are particular about Sterling bank’s altercation with the MIDEN SYSTEMS.
The firm is claiming that Sterling had failed to provide its bank transaction records to it.
The two-day protest was remarkably peaceful. The Police escorted the protesters and ensured there was no disturbance. And Sterling bank didn’t attempt to chase them away.
Once the protest letter signed by Comrade Dr. Sam Wilson, National Coordinator, Comrade Flora Elekwa, Director and Lady Cecillia Bisong, National Organizing Secretary, was received, the protesters felt their duty had been done and began to disperse. Their was no rowdy scene at the bank; all was civil. Flora Elekwa kept stressing that they learnt of the MIDEN SYSTEM and Sterling Bank face off through the news media and found enough justification to get involved because a large number of Nigerians have been so shortchsnged and they don’t know how to seek redress. She said that was why the protest started at the CBN, which oversees the banking sector. She said that a huge amount of money was involved in the MIDEN SYSTEMS and Sterling Bank deal and it had been on long enough to cripple a business.
For now, it appears that Sterling Bank’s officials who refused the letter yesterday have saved some other banks from being picketed. The protest may likely resume in future but no date was announced to the protesters as they were exiting the Sterling Bank, CBD Abuja, branch. So, the other banks that would have been picketed today have received a breathing space.