Shady Transactions: To Protect His Integrity, Olayiwola, Former IT Staff Quits Globus Banks

Idris Babatunde Olayiwola, a former Information Technology (IT) officer at Globus Bank, has dismissed the bank’s fraud allegations against him as “baseless” and “untrue”.

In a statement signed by him and released on his X handle on Monday, Olayiwola stated that, contrary to the bank’s allegations, he did not hack customers’ accounts or steal their funds during his brief stay at the bank or after his resignation.

He claims that in January 2019, while working for Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), he was assigned the Globus Bank Core Banking Application Project.

He explained, “My team and I began the project in January 2019, and the bank went live with the Core Banking Application in November 2019. Following the project’s completion, the bank’s Managing Director, Elias Igbinakenzua, and other top executives approached me with an offer to oversee their Core Banking Application processes, which I accepted. In January 2021, I officially started working for the bank.

“I decided to leave the bank because I was concerned about my future career. KPMG offered me the position of Assistant Manager in the Technology and Enablement Department, working as a Project Manager. I agreed to a pay cut to join KPMG in September 2021. My primary reason for leaving was simple: I was concerned about my life and career as a young man in light of what was going on at Globus Bank.

“When the bank’s Managing Director learned of my departure, he was furious and offered me a lucrative salary, which I turned down. I joined KPMG in September 2021, and my relationship with Globus Bank ended there. “KPMG was the best place I would ever worked.”

Olayiwola stated that he left Nigeria for the United Kingdom in May 2022. “During my time in the UK, I continued to work for KPMG until my official resignation in September 2022. “I have been in the United Kingdom since then,” he explained.

He denied online reports accusing him of conspiring with some Globus Bank employees to commit fraud.

“The bank claimed there was a fraud and that I was involved. How can this be possible given that I have been in the UK since May 2022? “My only interaction with Globus Bank since leaving was having a bank account like any other customer,” he stated.

He also denied claims that he employed someone before leaving the bank because he was not the Human Resource Manager.

Olayiwola stated, “I was also accused of using a staff password to post transactions. Even at the bank branch level, two employees were given access to the bank vault and the ability to post transactions.

“Not only are back-end servers behind network firewalls, but there are also operational procedures and guidelines in place to ensure that no single staff member or IT officer has access at any given time.

“I am surprised by the nature of the allegations coming from an organisation that deals with people’s assets. There is no financial institution in the world or in Nigeria that allows a single individual access to critical bank servers or applications.

“In December 2023, I discovered an unsolicited account being opened for me at Globus Bank. I received an email about the account opening and promptly informed the bank that I had not authorised it. As someone who has worked in a bank, I suspected there must be some sort of fraud going on in which accounts are opened for individuals without their permission. I sent messages to the bank informing them that I did not authorise the opening of any accounts for myself because I do not require them.

“I was advised to file a lawsuit against them for such a horrific act. I am not sure why these actions are taking place. I believe that someone in the bank committed fraud and sought an exit strategy. As of now, I have not received a call or invitation from the bank or any law enforcement agency regarding these allegations. All I have seen is some people destroying my professional reputation and career because they do not value individual industries.

“Globus Bank may want to conceal some frauds and reckless unethical crises within their organisation, but implicating me is ungodly. Globus Bank was not the last employer I worked for in Nigeria. I left Globus Bank in 2021, so any attempt to tarnish my time and reputation with the bank is wrong.

“Finally, it is critical to note that the primary reason I left Globus Bank was due to their shady and unethical transactions at the top level, which I and other top executives were exposed to. When I left, I made no threats to expose these. My goal was to work in a safe environment where I could advance in my career, which is why I joined KPMG.

“These baseless accusations against me must be answered with the truth. My professional path has been one of dedication, integrity, and hard work. I refuse to be a scapegoat for others’ unethical behaviour. If necessary, I will reveal the truth through concrete evidence, backed up by testimonies from former Globus Bank executives who share my concerns. These false claims will not tarnish my reputation, which has been built over many years of honest work. I am ready to defend my name and clear the record.”