Kuda Microfinance has incurred public outrage as massive condemnations continue to trail a physical assault on a customer at its office premises in Yaba, Lagos recently.
The incident, as captured in a video currently trending on social media, shows a customer being manhandled by some police officers at the premises of the bank.
The manhandled customer, according to his brother who took to his Twitter account, JAMO, @Ayam_Jamotech, to narrate the incident, had gone to the bank to find out why his account was blocked and the bank called the police on him.
“Hello @kudabankhelp my lil brother transferred his own money N577,491 from his Moniepoint POS to his own Kuda account on Apr13 2021 but you guys choose to be unfortunate to lock up his account for someone that has sent a huge amount of over 10m at once without you guys locking it,” he narrated.
“So my brother went to @kudabankhelp office today at Yaba to know the reason why his account was locked and yet not to be opened after dropping his proof to them that it’s a legit money and not fraud money at all. So funny how when he got there this morning. They sent their mopol
“Everybody help me to retweet and tag appropriate people that can help look into this case!! Those people has injured my brother. They press a teargas on his face. now they’re taking him to the police custody.”
The incident has continued to generate condemnations on social media, with many calling for the bank to be boycotted.
“Kuda actually waits for that huge money to enter your acct and the next thing is just to lock it straight up, visiting their head office to complain they use Efcc or Police to arrest you. No to kuda. This isn’t bank of the free at all, Useless bank,” wrote Olaoluwa, @olaoluwa_fm.
On his part, D A N N Y, @DW3663 said, “Why is Kuda bank torturing their customer that came to make a complaint? Why will they use tear gas on an unarmed customer?
“Bank of the free but you dey pin customers for ground with police, they tear gas them. Shame on you @kudabank.”
However, reacting to the assault in a statement by its management on Thursday, Kuda said although it doesn’t support violence in any way, it has to comply with the mandates of all applicable government and law enforcement agencies, supported by the appropriate documentation.
“It has come to our attention that a couple of videos are being circulated online regarding the experience of one of our customers yesterday. The videos show the customer being forcefully escorted off our premises by members of the Nigerian Police Force. We wish to unequivocally state that Kuda Microfinance Bank Limited (“Kuda MFB”) does not condone or support violence in any manner, particularly against its own customers,” the bank said.
The statement further said customers are expected to “cooperate fully with the law enforcement agencies involved in order to reach a resolution on each matter. It is truly unfortunate that the customer’s failure to cooperate with the law enforcement officers unfolded in the manner that it did, particularly as the customer was being apprehended by the members of the Nigerian Police Force further to their investigation into alleged criminal activity on the customer’s account.
