Mercy Eke: I Have Over N100 Million Trapped in Heritage Bank

Former Big Brother Naija season 4 winner, Mercy Eke, has disclosed that she has over N100 million in Heritage Bank, three days after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revoked the bank’s license for “inability to improve its financial performance”

Mercy said she inevitably opened an account with the bank because her prize money from the BBNaija show was paid there being that the bank sponsored the season.

She also blamed her account officer for leading on knowing the bank was struggling to survive. “She lured me into fixing my money, knowing fully well there’s been issues with the bank,” she wrote on X.

Responding to a user’s question, she said, “I do… and have above 100m with them.”

That was the bank that sponsored Bbn during my set, for them to pay our money we were advised to open an account with them… stupid me went ahead and funded the account … don’t worry I’m full of regrets right now.

— Mercy Eke (@real_mercyeke) June 6, 2024

NDIC to refund depositors

The CBN had appointed the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) as the liquidator for Heritage Bank. The Corporation’s role is to oversee deposit repayment and liquidate the bank’s assets.

Earlier, Business Elites Africa reported that depositors with less than N5 million would be refunded anytime soon, according to the NDIC managing director, Bello Hassan.

At a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Hassan assured that Heritage bank’s customers would get their money back, urging them not to panic.

He said the total depositors are 2.3 million, and 99% of them have less than N5 million total balances in their accounts.

Hassan said: “They will get all their money back. Only about 4,000 people had more than N5 million in their accounts.

“They will get N5 million now and more later when the NDIC gets more money from the bank’s assets and loans.”

What’s Mercy Eke’s fate?

Going by Hassan’s statement, Mercy Eke would only get N5 million from her total funds now, if the “Nigerian factor” doesn’t play out, and wait for months or years to recoup the balance.

The NDIC also said it will go after Heritage Bank’s debtors to recover more than N700 billion, then liquidate the bank’s assets before depositors with over N5 million would get their remaining funds.

Interestingly, the NDIC did not give a completion timeline for the liquidation. Sources say the process may drag for years.