Idahosa Moses – Benin City
Contrary to an online video making the rounds, the Lift Above Poverty Organisation Microfinance Bank Limited (LAPO MfB), has sternly debunked that the suicide victim in Ogun was not its Customer.
The LAPO MfB, described the online video claim as unverified, and malicious allegations, aimed at smearing its hard-earned corporate reputation by an unnamed individual.
This was contained in a press statement by Abel Ovenseri, the Acting Head, Communication and Branding of LAPA MfB, and made available to journalists Monday evening in Benin City, Edo.
Abel Ovenseri, while extending the management’s condolences to the deceased family on the tragic incident said the Ogun state woman who reportedly took her life over alleged inability to pay back a loan she obtained was a customer of a different financial institution, not LAPO MfB.
The statement read: “Contrary to the allegations in a trending video on social media and reported in some newspapers (not Nigerian Tribune), the woman in Ogun State who reportedly took her life over her inability to pay back a loan was not a customer of LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited (LAPO MfB).
“From our preliminary findings, which we are confident will be confirmed by an official independent investigation, she was a customer of a different institution, which the unsuspecting public misinterpreted as ‘LAPO’.
“While extending our condolences to the deceased woman’s family on the tragic incident, we condemn this current effort to tarnish the record and corporate reputation of LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited through unverified and malicious allegations.
“In recent years, there has been an increase in similar false allegations against LAPO MfB by persons who are pursuing an agenda. Notably, one of the false stories was paddled by the same individual in the latest video making the rounds.
“LAPO MfB is exploring legal options against such purveyors of fake news, de-marketing, and other unethical practices.
“We are confident that this smear campaign will fail like the previous ones because LAPO MfB’s track record of professionalism and the impact of our work at individual, business, and community levels across the country over many decades is solid and well-known.
“Our dear customer base of over six million, our status as one of the nation’s top five employers and our track record of performance initiative speak for us.
“It is important to note that while we encourage beneficiaries of LAPO MfB loans to comply with the terms of their agreement with us by making prompt payments to ensure that other benefit, we pay attention to customers facing legitimate financial difficulties.
“We urge the media and the public to disregard these false report,” the statement urged.
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