Fight Breaks Out at ATM Point Over Customer’s Attempt to Withdraw Cash With Multiple Cards

A huge fight broke out at the ATM point of a tier-1 bank on Friday, January 27, 2023, over disagreements about whether customers could use multiple cards to withdraw cash from the ATM at a time.

According to Edujandon.com correspondent who was at the scene, the fight at the Access Bank branch located on Ago Place Way, Okota, Lagos, started when some customers insisted on withdrawing cash with 4-5 cards at their turns.

Since the Central Bank of Nigeria had directed that the maximum withdrawal for any individual card is N20,000 daily, it only made sense for those who need more cash to withdraw using multiple cards.

The act was clearly rejected by scores of other customers who insisted that each person should only use a maximum of two cards for withdrawal.

The suggestion was issued so that the queues would move faster to enable everyone to get at least a maximum of N20,000 of the already scarce currency. The suggestion was rejected by those who insisted they must use all of their cards for withdrawals and not caring what the others thought.

Further arguments led to pushing and shovings and then quickly escalated to two individuals engaging in fisticuffs before they were eventually separated by other customers.

The fight which caused chaos at the ATM point forced private security officers and the police at the bank to bar customers from using the ATM for close to an hour until normalcy and orderliness were restored. Scarcity of new naira notes Thousands of customers had besieged various banks and ATM points in order to withdraw some of the new naira notes after depositing all of their old naira notes. The new naira notes had become so scarce that many Nigerians who had already cleared the old notes in their possession were now left with no cash at their disposal at all.

Many of the ATM points across Lagos were not dispensing cash and customers who found their way into the banking hall were confronted with the dilemma of accepting the old naira notes or exiting the halls without any cash. The banks have been battling a shortage of new naira notes despite the CBN’s directive against the loading of old naira notes in ATMs. The CBN also forbade banks from issuing over-the-counter payments of new naira notes to customers

In a desperate effort to meet up with the CBN’s January 31 deadline for the depositing of old N200, N500 and N1000 notes at banks, many businesses have started to notify their customers and clients of a time limit for the acceptance of the old currencies. Supermarkets, eateries and popular hangout spots in some major cities have displayed notices within and outside their establishments warning customers that they will cease the acceptance of the old naira notes on dates before the January 31 deadline.

Edujandon.com visit to some popular markets in Lagos, revealed that some traders who are fully aware of the CBN deadline have also started notifying their customers According to reports, some popular churches and have also sent emails to members directing them not to make payments for tithes and offerings in old naira notes after the CBN deadline.

Download Edujandon.com News App QR-Code

Edujandon.com - 24/7 News Upda

Developer: Edujandon Enterprises

Price: Free