The United Bank for Africa (UBA) has refused to accept the letter written by pro-democracy group, Take-It-Back Movement seeking that its account should be unfrozen.
SaharaReporters reported last Friday that UBA had frozen the account of the organisation over its call for #EndBadGovernance in Nigeria protests.
According to TIB Movement, its account was frozen on the instructions of Nigeria’s secret police, Department of State Services, also known as State Security Service.
Also on Friday, the law firm of human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, Inibehe Effiong Chambers, wrote the bank, demanding the immediate reopening of the Take-It-Back Movement’s account frozen on the orders of the DSS over the planned protest against hardship and hunger in the country.
The law firm threatened to take legal action against the bank if it fails to reopen the frozen account of the human rights organisation after 24 hours.
Authoritative sources told SaharaReporters on Monday that the bank authorities refused to accept the request letter by TIB and the lawyers to unfreeze the account.
“UBA refused to accept the letter from TIB Movement’s lawyers demanding that the frozen account of the organisation should be unfrozen,” a source told SaharaReporters.
The letter from the law firm reads, “We are Solicitors to Take It Back Global Ltd/ Gte, a corporate entity duly incorporated in Nigeria and hereinafter referred to as our “Client” and on whose behalf we write this letter.
“We have been informed by our Client that it opened the following account with United Bank for Africa: Account Name: Take It Back Account Number: 2109193911.
“We were further informed by our Client today, 26th of July, 2024, that it has been unable to access the above described account, the account having remained frozen by United Bank for Africa and rendered inoperable.
“Up till the point of writing this letter to you, neither United Bank for Africa nor any of its staff has offered any formal explanation in respect of the restriction on our Client’s account.
“In view of the above, we are by this letter demanding that you offer a well-detailed, formal and immediate written explanation for the freezing of our Client’s account within 24 hours of the receipt of this letter.
“Please take notice that in the event that you refuse or fail to comply with the above demand within the stipulated time, we have the firm instruction of our Client to institute necessary legal actions against you.”
Reacting to the news, #RevolutionNow convener, Omoyele Sowore, who has also been championing the protest, described the DSS as lawless.
He posted on his X account, “Lawless @OfficialDSSNG will learn a hard lesson soon, and @UBAGroup, @TonyOElumelu for this act of cowardice and conspiracy, the people of Nigeria that you’re letting down at this critical moment in history will let you down soon, too! #DaysOfRage.”
