A strongly worded petition from 54 Nigerian students studying various programs at the Centurion University, INDIA, may drag Zenith Bank Plc to court over what they described as “fraudulent , unsolicited deductions and illegal charges “from their various accounts leading to millions of dollars.
The aggrieved students in a joint petition which was filed on their behalf by the firm of Joe Ikheloa and Associates, a Lagos based firm of legal Practioners, and addressed to the Director of Banking Supervision, Central Bank of Nigeria, is seeking an expeditious resolution of the impasse or face legal action. The petition titled ” Urgent Petition Against Zenith Bank: Unauthorised Deductions, Negligence and Severe Financial Hardship “, the affected students who are cadets under the NIMASA SEAFARERS development Program said they have been made to face undue hardship in far away India, turning them to beggars as they could barely meet their basic needs,,such as groceries, toiletries and stationary, among others They argued that they have at no time applied for any over draft or loan from Zenith Bank Plc, and therefore are unable to comprehend why they should be made to bear the consequences of the glitches which occurred in the bank between October and November.
They argued that Zenith Bank fraudulently deducted funds from their accounts without their consent, a matter which they claim was a flagrant violation of the Federal Competition and Consumers Act, which guarantees fair treatment, transparency and protection from exploitation of consumers. The aggrieved students referred to Section 120 of the ACT which prohibits unfair and deceptive practices.