By Taofeeq Imam, Confidence News Nigeria

In today’s increasingly digital world, access to cash through ATMs and online banking has become a basic necessity. However, for some bank customers, this process is not always as seamless as it should be. This is particularly true for students and young adults who often rely on banks for their financial transactions during their daily activities. 

In this report, we examine the experiences of three young men from Kwara State—Jimoh Hussain Kehinde, Kehinde Oluwadamilare, and Moses Boluwatife—who faced frustrating issues with failed ATM transactions and delayed resolutions. We also included a comment from Jethro Emmanuel, a staff member at UBA Bank. The common thread in their stories is a sense of betrayal by the system they once trusted, coupled with growing frustration over the inconsistent service they received from financial institutions.

The Pain of Unsuccessful Transactions —– Jimoh Hussain’s Struggle

It all began in October 2022, when Jimoh Hussain, a student at Usmanu Danfodiyo University in Sokoto, was preparing to return to school. He was tasked with buying a phone for his twin sister. Hussain, who is from Ilorin, Kwara State, traveled to the Challenge area of the city, which is a popular hub for phone sales. There, he met a friend who offered to help him purchase a Tecno phone for 40,000 Naira.

After finalizing the deal, Kehinde proceeded to the nearest UBA ATM to withdraw funds. However, things didn’t go as planned. “I was only able to withdraw a maximum of 10,000 Naira at a time, as I was using my GTBank ATM card,” he recalls. He initiated multiple withdrawal attempts, hoping to accumulate the total sum of 40,000 Naira. Unfortunately, his first transaction failed. Despite being debited for the full 10,000 Naira, no money was dispensed from the ATM.

Hussain waited for several minutes, expecting the funds to be reversed to his account. “It didn’t happen,” he said. Desperate, he went to his bank—GTBank—and filed a complaint, filling out the necessary forms in the hope of a quick resolution. But his troubles didn’t end there.

“I was told to wait, and nothing happened. The money wasn’t mine—it was my sister’s,” he said, his voice tinged with concern. With no immediate solution in sight, Hussain had to borrow money from his brother to complete the phone purchase. This marked the beginning of a lengthy battle to retrieve his funds.

Over the next few months, Hussain made multiple visits to various branches of GTBank—both on his campus and in Ilorin—hoping to resolve the matter. “I was told there was nothing they could do unless I went back to the GTBank branch in Ilorin,” he said. His frustration grew as the process dragged on. “I kept hoping the money would be refunded, but it was only after the semester that I had to go back to the Unity branch in Ilorin again.”

This time, the bank asked him to submit a letter requesting CCTV footage from the day of the transaction. “They promised that once they reviewed the footage, they would reverse the money if the transaction was unsuccessful,” he said. Since then, however, he has been waiting for the promised resolution.

A Series of Unresolved Transactions. —- Kehinde Oluwadamilare’s Experience

Kehinde Oluwadamilare, a native of Offa in Kwara State, experienced a similar issue with his ATM withdrawal at a GTB branch in Ilorin. While trying to withdraw a considerable amount of money, Kehinde encountered a failed transaction in which the ATM debited his account, but no cash was dispensed.

“I was at the ATM for hours, trying to withdraw 20,000 Naira for some school expenses,” Kehinde recounts. “The machine kept failing, and every time it did, I was debited the full amount.” After contacting the bank, he filled out a complaint form, just as Jimoh did. However, like his counterpart, the resolution process was far from smooth.

“I kept following up, but it felt like I was running in circles. Every time I went to the branch, they told me the same thing: ‘We are still investigating.’” Oluwadamilare’s frustration grew over the weeks, especially as the money was urgently needed for his academic needs. Despite promises of a reversal, he too found himself helpless as the bank dragged its feet.

After months of waiting and repeated visits to GTbank branches in Ilorin, Oluwadamilare’s issue remains unresolved. “I’m tired of waiting. I’ve written several letters to the bank and followed up with every branch, but the situation is the same,” he lamented.

Moses Boluwatife’s Case: A Similar Fate

Moses Boluwatife, a native of Omu Aran, Kwara State, also experienced a similar ordeal with a failed ATM transaction at a GTB branch. Like Kehinde and Jimoh, Moses found himself debited for a failed withdrawal and was left to deal with the tedious process of seeking a refund.

“I needed the money for some personal expenses, so I tried withdrawing 30,000 Naira. The transaction didn’t go through, but I was debited,” Moses explained. “I went to the bank immediately, but nothing was done. It was just the same story over and over again—‘We investigated.’”

Despite repeated visits and follow-ups, Boluwatife’s’ issue remains unresolved. “I don’t understand why they can’t just reverse the money right away,” she said. “It’s frustrating, especially when you have no other way of accessing the funds you need.”

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Jethro Emmanuel’s Comment: Bank’s Stance on ATM Transaction Failures

In an effort to gain a clearer perspective on the issue, we reached out to Jethro Emmanuel, a staff member at GTBank, who works closely with customer service and transaction disputes. Jethro acknowledges the challenges that customers like Jimoh, Kehinde, and Moses face but emphasizes the complexity of resolving ATM-related issues.

“ATM transactions involve multiple systems working together, including the bank’s ATM servers, the card issuer, and the payment networks,” Jethro explained. “Sometimes, due to connectivity issues or other technical faults, transactions can fail without the customer receiving their money.”

Regarding the delay in reversing the debited funds, Jethro explained that it often takes time for the bank to investigate failed transactions. “When a transaction fails, the bank needs to confirm whether the debit was legitimate or whether it was a technical error,” he continued. “In cases where a customer is debited but the transaction wasn’t completed, we request CCTV footage to verify the incident and cross-check with our internal systems.”

Jethro further clarified that the process of reviewing such claims is thorough to avoid fraud or errors that could affect the customer or the bank. “We understand how frustrating this can be for customers, especially students who need their money urgently. However, the process requires time to ensure accuracy and fairness,” he said.

He also highlighted the importance of patience from customers during such investigations, noting that while the bank strives to resolve issues promptly, the process is often delayed due to the complexities involved.