In a disheartening incident at Stanbic IBTC?s Area 3, Garki Branch, Abuja, on September 18, 2024, wheelchair user Comrade Chris Agbo, a journalist and disability rights advocate, was denied access to basic banking services due to the bank?s lack of accessibility accommodations.

The ordeal, lasting nearly three hours, spotlighted the widespread neglect of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria, despite the legal protections guaranteed by the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.

Comrade Agbo had originally stopped by the branch to activate his ATM card, only to discover that the facility had no wheelchair-accessible ramp. Upon sending his aide inside to request assistance, she was informed that the ATM machine was out of service. Agbo then asked for a withdrawal slip, but what should have been a routine transaction turned into an agonizing experience.

The bank manager?s solution to the issue suggesting that Comrade Agbo travel to the Maitama Branch, which had the necessary accessibility features was impractical and dismissive, as Agbo?s vehicle had no fuel.

For nearly two hours, he remained stranded outside the bank, ignored by staff despite visible distress. Even the intervention of a fellow customer, a banker from another institution, failed to move Stanbic IBTC staff to action.

It was only after Agbo began recording the situation that the bank staff showed any concern. A police officer stationed at the bank eventually intervened, and it wasn?t until 1:06 p.m. that assistance was finally offered begrudgingly and without an apology.

This incident is a stark violation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act, which mandates that public buildings, including banks, must be accessible to persons with disabilities. Specifically:

Section 26 of the Act requires that PWDs be given priority in queues and attended to outside of queues when necessary.

Section 3 asserts the right of PWDs to access public buildings on an equal basis with others, demanding the inclusion of ramps, lifts, and other aids.

Section 4 mandates that public buildings must be equipped with necessary accessibility features.

Despite the five-year moratorium for compliance with accessibility laws, this case shows a blatant disregard for the legal rights of PWDs, five years after the Act was passed.

Comrade Agbo?s experience underscores the need for immediate and stronger enforcement of Nigeria?s disability laws. Public institutions, particularly banks, must recognize that accessibility is a fundamental right, not an option. Stanbic IBTC?s failure to comply with the law and its staff?s indifferent treatment of a person with a disability highlight the ongoing marginalization of PWDs in Nigeria.

To rectify this, banks must urgently review their policies, ensure that all branches are equipped with necessary accessibility features, and provide sensitivity training for their staff. This incident is a call to action for institutions across Nigeria to take their legal obligations seriously and foster a culture of inclusion.

As one of Nigeria?s leading financial institutions, Stanbic IBTC must take responsibility for this incident and work towards ensuring that all customers, regardless of physical ability, can access their services without discrimination. Institutions must understand that disability rights are human rights, and it is time for Nigeria to make this a reality in practice. (Daily Independent: Text, Excluding Headline)

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