A petty trader in Niger State, Aisha Isah Yelwa, returns ₦330 million wrongly credited to her First Bank account, choosing integrity over temptation
Niger State Woman Returns ₦330m Mistaken Bank Credit, Earns Widespread Praise
In a rare and inspiring display of honesty, a Nigerian petty trader, Aisha Isah Yelwa, has returned a staggering ₦330 million that was mistakenly credited to her bank account, choosing integrity over personal gain.
Mrs. Yelwa, who trades in Lapai, Niger State, disclosed that she noticed the unusual account balance at about 3:49 p.m. on Monday, December 29, 2025, while checking her First Bank account.
According to her, the discovery came days after she had lodged complaints with the bank over repeated debits linked to loans she had earlier taken to sustain her small business.
While checking her account to confirm whether the issue had been resolved, she was stunned by what she saw.
“I was shocked to see an amount I have never handled in my life,” she said.
Mrs. Yelwa explained that there was no credit alert, no transaction narration, and no indication of the source of the funds.
To confirm whether it was a system glitch, she said she attempted a transfer.
“In order to be sure it wasn’t a display error, I made a transaction of ₦1 million from the account, and there was still no credit alert. That was when I became more confused and worried,” she told Lapai TV.
Despite the temptation, Mrs. Yelwa said she remained silent until Tuesday morning, when she visited the Lapai branch of First Bank to formally report the anomaly.
She disclosed that the branch manager commended her honesty after investigations confirmed that the funds were mistakenly credited due to a system error, and immediate steps were taken to reverse the transaction.
However, her action did not come without backlash.
Mrs. Yelwa revealed that she faced criticism from some members of the public, who questioned why she chose to return the money instead of keeping it.
To safeguard herself legally, she said she visited the bank with her lawyer, insisting on proper documentation of the entire process.
According to her, the bank assured her that she bore no liability and would only be contacted if further clarification became necessary.
Reflecting on the incident, Mrs. Yelwa said she felt fulfilled doing the right thing, describing her decision as an act of conscience and responsibility.
“I did it because of integrity and for the future of my children,” she said.
Her action has since drawn admiration across social media, with many Nigerians hailing her as a powerful example of honesty in a society often plagued by financial misconduct. Read More
