A Nigerian man has cried out after ₦200,000 was allegedly deducted from his bank account as repayment for a COVID-19 loan reportedly obtained using his personal details in 2020.

According to the man, during the COVID-19 pandemic, his uncle informed him about a government COVID-19 support programme and told him that money would be paid into his account.

He said his uncle asked him to provide his account details, explaining that some money would be sent to the account and that he should give him ₦150,000 from the funds.

The man claimed that he specifically asked his uncle whether the money was a loan or a grant before agreeing to the arrangement.

According to him, his uncle assured him that the money was a grant and would not have to be repaid.

However, while travelling days ago, the man said he received a debit alert indicating that ₦200,000 had been deducted from his account.

He said he subsequently made inquiries and allegedly discovered that the deduction was connected to a COVID-19 loan reportedly obtained in 2020 using his details.

Expressing shock over the development, the man said he had believed the money was a government grant and was unaware that a loan had been taken in his name.

The development has raised concerns over the use of individuals’ personal and banking details in government intervention programmes, as well as the potential consequences for beneficiaries who may not have been fully informed about the terms of such financial support.