Twitter Nigeria, this morning, woke up to the BVNpocalypse. Several individual and corporate accounts have been suspended because people have either not registered for the BVN (Bank Verification Number) or they have registered and haven’t linked their BVN to their other accounts.
But as it turns out, there are also many people who have registered and linked the number to their accounts but still have their accounts suspended. Unfortunately, I am one of such people. I spent the greater part of yesterday moving from ATM to ATM, thinking the problem was with my card, until I found out it was because of this issue. I had completed the process since May 2015, but the nonverbal message from my bank is that my punctuality was not good enough.
Nigerians on Twitter, have been reacting to this situation all morning. Here are some tweets:
https://twitter.com/iamsupervillain/status/661126669646831617I did register for BVN and linked my GTB account. Surprisingly, my account is now restricted @gtbank_help please help.
— Olanshile (@atandaolanshile) November 2, 2015
Someone thinks 2020 is the most realistic time for the exercise to be completed:
https://twitter.com/OreFakorede/status/661101431248846848 https://twitter.com/TheIronButtrfly/status/661121072822136832@gtbank WHO DID I OFFEND IN YOUR BANK. AFTER ALL THE STRUGGLE TO ENROL FOR THE BVN. YOU STILL RESTRICTED MY ACCOUNT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— OA (@opeyemi_ah) November 2, 2015
Another angle:
All of you complaining this morning about #BVN bank shut down should have been supporting @gbengasesan's call for BVN ban!
— Kathleen Ndongmo (@KathleenNdongmo) November 2, 2015
What Tolu Ogunlesi had to say:
Dear @FirstBankngr, I did my BVN with you months ago. But you've now decided to suspend my account and card without warning. (1)
— Tolu Ogunlesi, MON (@toluogunlesi) November 1, 2015
Now being told I need to go to a branch to "link" a BVN I did with you. Why must I do that? Please release my card abeg! @FirstBankngr (2)
— Tolu Ogunlesi, MON (@toluogunlesi) November 1, 2015
And then there’s this part:
@gtbank_help gtb has frozen my account even after series of confirmation from them that my bvn is active wow! Cnt believe this
— your best shoe plug (@makaaypremium) November 2, 2015
The worry about data security:
Until we hear that BVN biometric details have been hacked. Then it's all over folks.
— Unnamed (@17_xcx) November 2, 2015
Here’s another side to it:
https://twitter.com/kayodea/status/661123345749057536Beware of dogs fraudsters
Please beware of desperate fraudsters! @cenbank #BVN press release
— Dr M. Chindo, FRGS (@Mchindo) November 2, 2015
—
—
Sent by WhatsApp pic.twitter.com/m2cWnqBkeh
More from the complaints table:
I have 4 accounts with @gtbank. I put BVN from SCB on one. I get a mail my account has been deactivated. Isn't this all meant to be linked?
— Osaretin Victor Asemota (@asemota) November 2, 2015
So @gtbank has locked my account over BVN. Can you confirm if registration continues at the London branch?
— Gray Ghost (@Debo_sky) November 2, 2015
