The management of Access Bank on Friday gave reasons why it froze the accounts of its customers linked to #EndSARS protest.
The bank in a statement in Abuja said it only only obeyed a directive of the regulator, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), based on a valid court order.
It however, sympathised with the affected customers, adding that it hoped the matter would be resolved “as soon as possible.”
The bank expressed surprise that it was being targeted negatively in spite of evidence it was not behind the customers’ ordeals.
“We want to express our sympathy for the inconvenience that eight of our customers are going through due to the restrictions on their accounts as mandated by a Federal court order. We are eager for this to be resolved as soon as possible.
“It is common knowledge that we and the entire banking industry are regulated entities and therefore operate under the authority of our regulators and law enforcement agencies. As such we are compelled to comply with regulatory directives.
“While acknowledging the concern of all well-meaning parties, we urge that enquiries and views be channeled to the relevant regulatory and judicial agencies where the matter is receiving attention. It is therefore surprising that some individuals still choose to target Access Bank in a negative manner despite not being the source of the action,” the bank said.
It added that it has always been at the forefront of innovative efforts in support of the development of Nigeria, saying that it embraced the role being the largest employer of labour, which are largely youths.
“Access Bank has always led the way with regard to support for young Nigerians in terms of capacity building and development of SMEs.
“We continue to be concerned by the inconvenience that our affected customers are experiencing. We stand ready to play our part to remedy the situation and have them using their accounts as quickly as possible,” the bank said.