Stakeholders of Spring Bank Plc have called for a probe into the false allegation of N5.2 billion fraud levied against the management of Spring Bank Plc by Strand Capital Partners Limited.

The group, which was made up of various shareholder associations, was on a fact finding mission following the spate of media reports that the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO) of Spring Bank, Mrs. Sola Ayodele and key past and present officers of the bank had been charged to court for an alleged fraud of N5.2 billion, for which she was declared wanted by the Police.

Speaking during the meeting, the Chairman of Ibadan Zone Shareholders Association, Chief Aderemi Oyepeju, said that such a probe was necessary to prosecute those behind such malicious and wicked allegations against innocent and hardworking bank officials who have ensured the safety of depositors’ funds.

Oyepeju said, “Having studied the allegations, it would appear that the real culprits in the matter are sacred cows being protected by the system. We condemn in entirety, what we have been reading in the newspapers and we use this opportunity to state categorically that we are behind the management of Spring Bank because we have been following this case even before this current management was appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).”

He stated that the time has come for all stakeholders of the bank to speak out in one voice in support of the position of the CBN, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as well as the Management of Spring Bank in this matter against Strand Capital Partners Limited and all other enemies of the bank.

He also called on all those that still owe the bank to pay up, threatening that all stakeholders are poised to join forces with the Management of Spring Bank Plc to seek the services of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to retrieve all outstanding debts to the bank.  

Speaking in the same vein, Alhaji Mukhtar Mukhtar, Chairman Shareholders Trustees Association called on the government to thoroughly revisit the fraud allegation with the view to permanently bringing the matter to an end.

He stated, “We would want the government to take another detailed look into the case. A situation where some individuals or companies would plot to defraud the bank only to turn around to threaten the management of the bank for not allowing their evil intention to succeed is not acceptable to us.”

The National Coordinator of the Shareholders’ United Front, Mr. Gbenga Idowu, called on the relevant security agencies to ensure the safety of the management and staff of the bank who foiled the attempt to defraud it while commending the transparency and integrity as well as handwork of the present management of Spring Bank, which have led to the return of the bank to the path of profitability.

In his own contribution, the National Coordinator of the Pacesetters Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Badmus Tunde, deplored the use of the media by negative elements in the society to manipulate the truth and misinform members of the public.