Facts:

The Claimant is a customer of the Defendant bank and operates account number 0231063424, which she uses for her business and to meet her personal and family needs. On or about 1st September 2023, the Claimant discovered that her account had been frozen and suspended by the Defendant, thereby barring her from carrying out any transactions. Upon enquiry, the Defendant informed her that the action was taken pursuant to an instruction received from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The Claimant alleged despite several visits to the bank and follow-up enquiries, the Claimant was continuously denied access to her account, which had sufficient funds to cover her regular transactions. The Claimant, through her solicitor, wrote a letter dated 13th September 2023 to the Defendant’s Area 3 Branch in Abuja, demanding a written explanation for the action. The Defendant failed to respond to the solicitor’s letter or to unfreeze the account.

As a result, the Claimant claims to have suffered significant hardship, including emotional trauma, disruption of her business activities, and financial distress, forcing her to borrow money to meet her daily and family obligations.