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CBN Monitors 6,047 BVNs Over Suspected Fraudulent Transactions
At least, 6,047 Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) of bank customers have been placed under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) watch list for fraudulent transactions.
This was contained in the CBN Financial Stability June 2022 report published in December 2022.
The report also noted that 11,871 BVNs have been watch-listed as deceased persons this year.
The report disclosed that the apex bank conducted an assessment of 28 banks and the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System to ascertain compliance with the Regulatory Framework for BVN Operations and Watch-List for the Nigerian Banking Industry in the review period.
It noted that the assessment revealed some infractions and regulatory actions were taken.
The report further noted that there were 2.72million enrolled in the first half of this year, bringing the total number of enrolled BVNs to 54.65million.
In the report, it was also stated that the number of BVN-linked accounts was 130.57million out of 148.46million active accounts.
The report read in part, “Also, 2,722,518 BVNs were enrolled, bringing total BVN enrolment to 54,651,086, reflecting an increase of 5.24per cent over 51,928,568 enrolments at end-December 2021.
“The number of accounts linked with BVNs was 130,569,656 out of 148,462,947 active customer accounts, while the number of watch-listed BVNs associated with fraud and deceased persons stood at 6,047 and 11,871, respectively.”
Based on the report, the total number of watch-listed BVNs for fraud rose by 13.09per cent from 5,347 in December 2021 to 6,047 in June 2022.
Four Nigerian deposit money banks lost a total of N1.77billion to fraudulent activities involving the banks’ employees and consumers in 2021.
This was contained in the 2021 financial statements of the banks, which included Access Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, First Monument City Bank, and Wema Bank.
According to their financial statements, WEMA and GTB incurred the biggest losses as a result of fraud within the period under review, as they lost N670.73million and N511.9million, respectively.
For Wema Bank, the cost of fraud rose by N27.46million, year on year, as the loss incurred in 2020 was N643.277million.
In the case of GTB, the fraud losses almost tripled in 2021.
At N511.9million, the losses the bank incurred due to fraudulent activities rose by N337.5million from N174.40million recorded in 2020.
GTB also disclosed that it recorded 15,204 cases of fraud and forgeries in 2021 involving N1.2billion.
Access Bank revealed that while it lost N502million to fraud in 2021, third parties lost about N1.98billion.
The bank also said that it recorded a total of 17,697 cases of fraud in 2021, majorly comprising electronic fraud/USSD (17,911), cash theft/ suppression/pilferage/dry posting (33), fraudulent transfer/withdrawals/reactivation of account (16), and armed robbery (6).
During the review period, FCMB’s losses as a result of fraud climbed from N59.03million to N89.8million.
The Access Bank, GTB and Fidelity Bank recorded 26,877 fraud cases in the first six months of this year, according to analyses of their financial reports for the first half of 2022.
This was a 56.45per cent decrease from the 61,715 fraud cases that were recorded by the banks between June and December, 2021.
In line with Section 5.1.2 (L) of the CBN Code of Corporate Governance, the Guaranty Trust Holding Company and subsidiary companies reported 15,004 fraud incidences in the period under review.
The bank reported that N1.55billion and $50,700 were involved in these cases, with N158.37milion recorded as actual/expected loss.
Similarly, Access Bank Plc reported N1.2billion as fraud losses for the period.
The bank recorded 10,706 fraud attempts in the first half of 2022.
About 7,104 attempts were successful while 3,602 were unsuccessful.
The sum of N12.55billion was involved in these attempts.
According to the bank, 7,928 electronic/USSD fraud cases were recorded in the period under review, with 849 successful attempts.
Fraudulent transfer/withdrawals/reactivation of accounts had the most amounts involved, with successful attempts worth N9.48billion made and actual loss worth N1.08billion.
Other successful and unsuccessful fraud attempts fell under the following categories: cash theft/ suppression/pilferage/dry posting, among others.
Fidelity Bank PLC recorded 1,167 fraud incidents in the period under review.
The amount involved was N471.01million and $8,367 but actual loss was N4.90million and $2,400.
According to the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System, Nigeria’s has one of the most advanced electronic payment capabilities in the world.
It said the increase in transaction processing speed and available channels had also created an avenue for fraudulent transactions to thrive.
In its ‘NIBSS Insight: Fraud in the Nigeria Financial Services’ report, it said, “Statistically, even a 1per cent successful fraud rate would result in 100,000 successful fraudulent transactions daily.
“This would directly impact customer’s faith in the entire system and could significantly impact our financial inclusion drive as well as the CBN cashless policy.”
Speaking on its fraud risk management, GTCO said, “Causal analysis of key fraud and forgeries incidents (over the counter or cybercrimes) identified in the group or prevalent in local and global business environments are carried out and reported.
“Likely and unlikely loss estimations are also determined in the process as input in the OpRisk capital calculation process. The focus in fraud risk management is to ensure that processes for preventing, deterring, detecting fraud and forgeries incidents, and sanctioning offenders are effective.”
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.