Students, First Bank disagree over N26m fees fraud

The corporate headquarters of First Bank of Nigeria Plc and Students’ Representative Council in the Federal College of Education (FCE), Zaria are blaming each other over N26 million school fees fraud that was discovered recently.

Daily Trust recalls that about 1,128 students of the college had paid their school fees to some fraudsters, raising the question of who was to blame.

The head of corporate affairs of the bank, Lagos, Mr. Babatunde Lasaki, said the bank had no hand in the scam. “From the initial report sent to us after investigation, it actually shows that there are thousands of students who paid their registration fee in the branch. It was after the registration the students went for validation process and that was where the problem was detected. These affected students did not pay their money in the bank. They actually paid their money in cyber cafes. The bank has no case with the affected students,” he said.

However, the Chairman of SRC in FCE, Zaria, Nathan Zakka, said First Bank Sabon Gari, Zaria branch is to be blamed for the fraud, hence the need for the intervention of the bank’s headquarters.

He said, “We have briefed the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Abuja and they are equally making arrangement to address the matter. We wish to appeal for patience and cooperation from the students as the union is liaising with relevant authorities to ensure the recovery of their registration money from First Bank.”

Representatives of the college’s management, Registrar, Dr. Jibril Lawal, and Bursar, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Uwais, had told Daily Trust that the management had established an investigative committee under the chairmanship of the bursar to unravel the truth.

The Kaduna State Police Command, through its spokesperson, ASP Aliyu Usman, has confirmed receipt of petition in relation to the case.