A Coalition Of Civil Societies For Good Governance In Nigeria  on Tuesday stormed Force Headquarters, Edet Louis House, Abuja, the headquarters of the  Nigeria Police Force demanding that the Police open further investigation and prosecution of the culprits involved in the weighty allegations levelled against the Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB under the watch of its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Segun Agbaje.



In an address,  the Chief Convener of the Coalition, Comrade Tijani Usman stated that in accordance with the powers of the police under Section 4 of the Police Act 2020 and other extant laws to investigate crimes and prosecute offenders, they are demanding that the police as the   lead crime fighting agency  act on certain recommendations put forward by other sister civil society organizations against the GTB and Agbaje.



The Coalition further urged the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN;  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC;  Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU;  Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC and Department of State Services, DSS to join hands in the fight against corruption.



The Coalition pointing to the recent downtime in the payment channels of the GTB dismissed suggestions that it was due to systems upgrade.


"...GTB operations are failing in Nigeria. Just recently we witnessed how their payment channels were down for days all in the name of system upgrade. One can only imagine the huge losses recorded by GTB account holders and users all over the world within this period", they argued



The civic organisations therefore urged the  Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun to take urgent measures to curtail the ripple effect of the damage being caused by GTB to the entire Nigerian economy which it maintained will be devastating in the long run, unless something is done as a matter of urgency. 


The Coalition submitted that its action is spurred by cocktail of allegations in the media stating that the  GTB is enmeshed in unwholesome activities including corruption, unsolicited accounts opening, declaration of fictitious profits, round-tripping, money laundering, terrorism financing and use of customers/investors’ funds to pay penalties. It maintained that the weighty allegations levelled against GTB under Agbaje ought to have opened room for further investigation and prosecution of the culprits involved.


According to Coalition Of Civil Societies For Good Governance In Nigeria,  "Today we are here in continuous struggle to stamp out corruption and fraud, which have clogged the wheels of Nigeria’s socio-economic development since we gained independence in 1960. Today in history will be remembered as a day when corruption took another dimension to the extent that the Banking Sector which is supposed to drive the economy is now failing without much attention from the relevant Regulatory and Crime Fighting Agencies.


"The latest development is the ongoing infractions in Guaranty Trust Bank Limited (GTB), a subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc where Segun Agbaje presently holds sway as Group Chief Executive Officer. 


"We have read in the media how GTB is enmeshed in unwholesome activities including Corruption, Unsolicited Accounts Opening, Declaration of Fictitious Profits, Round-Tripping, Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing and Use of Customers/Investors’ Funds to Pay Penalties.


"Our expectation was that the Nigeria Police Force being the Lead Crime Fighting Agency would take side with the masses by acting on certain recommendations put forward by other sister Civil Society Organizations. As a matter of fact, the weighty allegations levelled against GTB under the watchful eyes of Segun Agbaje ought to have opened room for further investigation and prosecution of the culprits involved.


"Unfortunately, this never happened till date for reasons unknown to us. Whilst we acknowledge the powers of the Nigeria Police Force under Section 4 of the Police Act 2020 and other extant laws to investigate crimes and prosecute offenders, we strongly feel that they must be used properly so that “the hunter does not become the hunted”. We are here this morning to insist that the Police should focus more on digging deep into the allegations hanging on the neck of Segun Agbaje with a view to bringing him and his co-travelers to book.


"Having said that, we call on the Central Bank of Nigeria, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services not to sit on the fence. All hands must be on deck to ensure that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu succeeds in his bid to revamp the ailing economy through the fight against corruption.


"Ladies and Gentlemen, let it be known to you all that GTB operations are failing in Nigeria. Just recently we witnessed how their payment channels were down for days all in the name of system upgrade. One can only imagine the huge losses recorded by GTB account holders and users all over the world within this period. We submit that the earlier its Management Team stop chasing shadows and redirect their energy towards saving the soul of the Bank, the better for the Nigerian economy. The amiable, gallant and performing Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun should note that the ripple effect of the damage being caused by GTB to the entire Nigerian economy will be devastating in the long run, unless something is done as a matter of urgency. 


"In conclusion, we submit Segun Agbaje has loads of questions to answer on corruption, fraud and economic sabotage. He must not be allowed to benefit from his own wrongs and go scot-free, considering the overwhelming evidence available to prove that his present handling of GTB is not only fraudulent but illegal and detrimental to the interest of customers and investors.


"It is our DEMAND that the Inspector-General of Police hears our cry and urgently investigate the activities of GTB under the leadership of Segun Agbaje. We shall continue to engage peacefully with the relevant Regulatory and Crime Fighting Agencies on this matter. We shall leave no stone unturned until justice is not only done, but seen clearly by all men and women of goodwill to have been done to customers and investors of GTB", the address read by Comrade Tijani Usman , its Chief Convener stated