The decision by the management of First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) to further tighten its operations in pursuit of greater efficiency in financial transactions may not have gone down well with some customers and debtors, as an alleged death threat has reportedly been sent to a senior official of the financial institution, believed to be a key driver of the recent reforms.
The official reportedly received the threat shortly after the bank’s management embarked on a major restructuring exercise and intensified efforts to recover billions of naira from outstanding loans from customers said to have defaulted on their repayment obligations.
The affected official, according to an insider from that bank, is FBN’s Managing Director, Oluwasegun Alebiosu.
Our correspondent gathered that the sender allegedly adopted the traditional Yoruba non-verbal communication method known as Aroko to convey the threat to the bank chief at his Lagos residence.
According to sources, the threat came in the form of a parcel delivered by a dispatch rider to Alebiosu’s residence in the Ikoyi area of Lagos Island.
The sources said it could not be immediately determined whether the dispatch rider was aware of the contents of the package before accepting the delivery assignment.
A board member of the bank, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Guild on Monday that the parcel was delivered before May 20, 2026, and was received by security personnel at the residence.
The package was subsequently handed over to Alebiosu, whose name appeared on it, as it was marked confidential.
He added that the parcel bore no information identifying the sender, apart from the name and address of the recipient.
“Upon opening the package, he discovered bullets enclosed in an envelope, with no accompanying note, name, or address that could assist in identifying or tracing the sender,” the source stated.
A female staff member of the bank told The Guild that the ammunition found in the parcel resembled rounds commonly associated with AK-47 rifles, often displayed by law enforcement agencies after seizures from criminals.
She explained that the two bullets were securely taped inside the envelope, making it impossible to determine the contents without opening it.
The employee further disclosed that efforts to trace the dispatch rider after the discovery proved unsuccessful, as there was no identifying information on the rider’s motorcycle.
Realizing this, he noted that the Lagos State Police Command and other security agencies were notified of the incident for the protection of the financial expert and members of his family.
According to him, the bank could not afford to treat the matter lightly, given that the life of its chief executive appeared to have been threatened by unidentified individuals who may be dissatisfied with the institution’s recent policies.
A staff of a popular security outfit providing services for many homes in the Ikoyi axis of Lagos, who is familiar with the buildings within Ikoyi, told our correspondent that many of the homes in the highbrow area have Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, whose footage could possibly be used to trace and arrest the rider.
He stressed that many buildings within the axis have been well fortified with CCTV cameras to aid in identifying those visiting houses within Ikoyi.
A senior police officer at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, told The Guild that footage from the CCTV and other evidence obtained from the house would be relied upon by the law enforcement officers to help identify the rider and, possibly, unravel the face behind the parcel.
The policeman disclosed that efforts were ongoing to track the dispatch rider, whom he described as a critical lead in the investigation.
A top management staff member of the commercial bank, who spoke on anonymity, told our correspondent that the FBN boss, during interrogation by the police on suspects that could be behind the act, listed some of the bank’s debtors, including Nestoil, General Hydrocarbons, and Sahara Group.
Others said to have been listed to the law enforcement officer as suspects during interrogation by the bank’s boss were: Petrostuff, Energy Shield, Broron Ltd, and Necit Ltd.
The Lagos Police spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, when contacted by The Guild, stated that the command is aware of a similar report, adding that the matter is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti.
When asked about the details of the similar report, Adebisi rather diverted the discussion to assuring residents that the command will leave no stone unturned in its efforts to ensure Lagos becomes safer for everyone residing in the state.
The police spokesperson stressed that it will not allow criminals to thrive in Lagos, particularly under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai.
She added that the security and safety of Lagos residents remain the command’s top priority, assuring the public that every necessary step is being taken to ensure crimes are nipped in the bud.
“The Lagos State Police Command is urging residents to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activities within their communities to the nearest police station”.
