Management of Skye Bank Plc has denied concealing funds meant for the Federal Government in its coffers.
Recall that the bank was one of the seven commercial banks ordered by the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday to temporarily remit a total of $793.2m allegedly hidden by them in contravention of the Federal Government’s TSA policy.
Presiding judge Chuka Obiozor ordered the seven banks to remit the money into the designated CBN asset recovery dollars account.
The banks are United Bank for Africa; Diamond Bank Plc; Skye Bank Plc; First Bank Limited; Fidelity Bank Plc; Keystone Bank Limited; and Sterling Bank Plc.
According to court papers filed by counsel for the Attorney General of the Federation, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN), a sum of $41m was illegally kept in a NAPIMS fixed deposit account with Skye Bank.
In reaction, the bank in a statement on Friday by its Head, Strategic Brand Management and Communications, Mr. Nduneche Ezurike, said it did collude with any government official to hide the sum, adding that relevant government agencies had “full knowledge” of the money.
The agencies according to the statement are the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Department of State Security, the National Assembly and the Inspector General of Polices’s Special Investigation Panel.
The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to media reports of a ruling of the Federal High Court in Lagos July 20, 2017, wherein seven commercial banks were ordered by Hon Justice Chuka Obiozor to remit a total of $793.200.000 allegedly hidden with them in contravention of the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account policy.
“According to the said reports, it was alleged that the sum of N41m is illegally kept in a NAPIMS fixed deposit account with Skye Bank in collusion with government officials. The management of Skye Bank hereby states that it neither colluded nor unilaterally hid the reported sum or any other funds in its custody.
“On the contrary, the said funds are held with the full knowledge of the relevant Agencies of the government including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the DSS, the National Assembly and the Inspector General of Polices’s Special Investigation Panel, with whom we have engaged extensively over same.”
“The bank will take appropriate legal steps in response to the ruling of the Federal High Court on August 8, 2017, when the substantive hearing is expected to come up,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, UBA, Sterling Bank and Fidelity Bank have since denied the allegation, while First Bank, Keystone Bank and Diamond Bank are yet to issue official responses.