Secrets Reporters
In what appears to be a brazen display of corporate overreach, Unity Bank PLC has been dragged into the spotlight following allegations of “unlawful, oppressive, and high-handed interference” in the internal affairs of its staff union. A scathing pre-action notice, obtained by SecretsReporters, paints a grim picture of a financial institution allegedly turning its regulatory muscle against its own employees to stifle the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI).
The legal firestorm, ignited by the law firm of Iluobe & Associates, centers on the Human Capital Management Department (HCMD). The solicitors claim the Head of HCMD has stepped far beyond the boundaries of traditional HR, acting as both judge and jury by meddling in the union’s domestic unit and its independent cooperative society.
The bank is accused of crossing the rubicon by unilaterally restricting the cooperative’s bank account without a shred of legal justification, regulatory authority, or court mandate. This move is described not merely as an administrative error, but as a calculated attempt to “impose signatories” on the account through the “intimidation of bank branches,” effectively holding the union’s finances hostage.
Adding fuel to the fire, the petition alleges a “sustained pattern” of harassment that has seen the bank brandish the sword of Damocles over its workers. Specifically, the duo of Mr. Ilesanmi Sunday and Mr. Chinedu Mark were reportedly slapped with threats of termination simply for exercising their constitutional right to participate in lawful union and cooperative activities.
Legal counsel for the union argues that these actions fly in the face of Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of association. The solicitors contend that Unity Bank is playing a dangerous game, as the law is “firmly settled” that employers have no business meddling in trade union activities or victimizing staff for their affiliations.
The document further highlights a “clear breach of banker/customer relationship,” noting that the bank has allegedly turned a deaf ear to repeated complaints regarding “unauthorized debits” from the cooperative’s account. By failing to investigate these missing funds, the bank is said to be in violation of the Banks and Other Financial Institution Act (BOFIA) 2020 and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regulations.
In a tone dripping with indignation, the solicitors warned that the bank’s refusal to rectify these debits is a betrayal of the “fiduciary” duty it owes its customers. They cite landmark cases like Union Bank of Nigeria Plc v. Ajabule to remind the bank that the courts do not look kindly on financial institutions that play fast and loose with consumer funds.
The letter serves as a “final pre-action notice,” effectively putting Unity Bank on a 72-hour countdown. If the bank fails to beat a retreat, the union threatens to escalate the matter to the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and the National Industrial Court.
The demands are clear and uncompromising: the bank must immediately cease all interference, remove every “unconditional” restriction on the cooperative account, and provide full recognition to the lawfully appointed signatories. Furthermore, the union is demanding “restitution of all unauthorized debits” and an immediate end to the climate of fear and victimization.
The solicitors cautioned that further inaction will no longer be the burden of the Head of HCMD alone but will “directly expose the bank to needless litigation” and the “dissipation of scarce resources”. They argue that the institution’s reputation is currently hanging by a thread as it faces potential “substantial damages” upon the successful determination of the union’s claims.
Copies of the explosive notice have reportedly been sent to the Head of Legal at Unity Bank and the Managing Director of Providus Bank, ensuring that the ripples of this brewing legal battle are felt across the industry. The firm of Iluobe & Associates, led by B.O. Iluobe Esq., appears ready to go the distance to protect what they describe as their client’s “unconstitutional” rights.