The embattled Managing Director of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Adam Nuru, has been forced to proceed on leave as the bank begins probe into the paternity scandal allegations levelled against him.
In a statement issued by FCMB on Tuesday, Nuru was forced to step aside as investigations into the scandal gather momentum.
The statement read:
“We are aware of several stories circulating across several media platforms about our bank’s Managing Director, Adam Nuru; a former employee, Mrs. Moyo Thomas, and her deceased husband, Mr. Tunde Thomas.
“While this is a personal matter, the tragedy of the death of Mr. Tunde Thomas and the allegations of unethical conduct require the bank’s board to conduct a review of what transpired, any violations of our code of ethics, and the adequacy of this code of ethics.
“This is already underway. During the period of the review, the managing director has volunteered to proceed on leave. This will guarantee the sanctity of the review process.
“We enjoin all our stakeholders to bear with us as we conduct this review and to please respect the various families involved.”
The news of the scandal involving Nuru broke on December 31 last year when a social media post revealed that he has been involved in an office romance with Moyo who was a former staff of FCMB.
The post revealed that the illicit affair produced two children originally thought to belong to Moyo’s husband, Tunde.
The woman reportedly left the distraught husband and traveled to the United States with the kids, from where she informed him that the children belong to another man.
Thomas fell into depression when he heard the information and died from cardiac arrest on December 16.
His death sparked public outrage and a petition was sent by concerned Nigerians to FCMB and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), seeking Nuru’s dismissal on ethical grounds.
In three days, the petition had garnered over 3,000 signatures while FCMB shares also suffered losses on the floor of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE).