Depositors and ex-employees of the banks that failed to sail  through the consolidation policy of the federal government have petitioned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over the delay in the payment of their deposits and terminal benefits.

 Barrister Emenike Emerson Azubuike, counsel to the petitioners said this when he addressed the press in his office in Umuahia, the Abia State capital on the matter, saying, the payment is long over due.

He argued that the delay in the payment of the deposits and benefits is contrary to a promise of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the former governor of the bank, saying the delay has brought untold hardship on his clients.

According to Azubuike, the resultant effect is that the majority of these fellow Nigerians have lost their lives aged parents, wives,  husbands, children and dependants and relatives to hunger and starvation.

Expressing disgust that the petitioners could be subjected to such treatment under a democratic climate, he accused the bank of alleged violation of the fundamental human, civil, social and economic rights of the petitioners.

“The violation is very heinous and unjustifiable both morally and legally because it has taken life of our fellow compatriots,” said the human rights crusader, who is also a chartered banker.

He said rather than the bank to address the issue squarely, it has turned it to case of bulk passing between itself and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NIDC) which he accused of alleged harassment of the former employees.

According to him, “Instead the NIDC was apt and swift in confiscating the official cars as well as the debt drive to recover borrowed money from the impoverished ex-staff of defunct banks by using police to arrest and harass them.”