Barbara Bako, Abuja
The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, has distanced itself from a report doing round the social media platforms under the headline “CBN Liquidates 20 Banks – NDIC (Names).”
According to NDIC, the 20 banks mentioned in the misleading reports were among the banks that had been previously closed due to the revocation of their operating licenses by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) between 1994 and 2018.
The Corporation made this clarification in a statement signed on Monday by the Director, Communication & Public Affairs, Bashir Nuhu.
The statement reads: “The general public should be aware that the NDIC has fulfilled its commitment by paying the guaranteed sums owed to depositors.”
Further, the statement said, “The Corporation has made cumulative payments of liquidation dividends totalling N45.45 billion as of July 2023, representing amounts exceeding the guaranteed sums to depositors of the 20 banks.
“In light of further recoveries from debtors of the liquidated banks, the Corporation has announced an additional N16.18 billion in liquidation dividends to be paid to depositors, creditors, and shareholders of the 20 banks in liquidation.
“The closed banks covered by this exercise include Liberty Bank, City Express Bank, Assurance Bank, Century Bank, Allied Bank, Financial Merchant Bank, Icon Merchant Bank, Progress Bank, Merchant Bank of Africa (MBA), Premier Commercial Bank, North South Bank, and Prime Merchant Bank.
“Others are Commercial Trust Bank, Cooperative and Commerce Bank, Rims Merchant Bank, Pan African Bank, Fortune Bank, All States Trust Bank, Nigeria Merchant Bank, and Amicable Bank in-liquidation.
“It’s important to note that liquidation dividend represents the amount in excess of the insured sums paid by the NDIC to depositors of a closed bank.
“This amount, the Corporation, stated is derived from recoveries made from the realization of assets of failed financial institutions and covers payments to creditors and shareholders after the full payment to depositors of the defunct bank.”
