Junaid Sanusi, a legal practitioner and customer of Access Bank Plc, has filed a ₦100 million lawsuit against the bank, alleging unlawful deductions from his savings account. The case is being heard at the Federal High Court in Ibadan.
During the proceedings, Sanusi claimed that while reviewing his account, he found deductions exceeding the ₦50 electronic levy mandated by the Finance Act for transactions over ₦10,000. He stated that the bank charged amounts such as ₦100 and ₦250, which he argued were unauthorized.
Sanusi emphasized that any deductions from customers’ accounts should adhere to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) guidelines from 2020 and other relevant financial legislation. He asserted that these guidelines are the sole authority allowing banks to make such deductions.
In his application, Sanusi sought the court’s intervention to prevent Access Bank from making further deductions and to reverse any unlawful charges made on March 27, 2020. He also requested ₦100 million in exemplary damages for the alleged wrongful deductions made on behalf of the Federal Government without his authorization.
In response, Access Bank’s counsel, Ahmed Adeleke, presented a counter-affidavit, asserting that the bank had not exceeded the legally stipulated charges based on Sanusi’s account activities during the relevant period. He urged the court to dismiss Sanusi’s claims with costs.
The presiding judge, Justice Uche Agomog, has adjourned the case until November 12 for a ruling.