A former employee at Access Bank’s contact centre in Oniru, Lagos, Stephen Ifeanyichukwu Ejezie, has been accused of filming his colleagues secretly inside the bank’s restrooms.
Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) reported that Ejezie was caught inside the women’s restroom around 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
Insiders revealed to FIJ that following the incident, the bank ordered his arrest, and law enforcement officers raided his home. Despite these actions, Ejezie has since regained his freedom.
Although there are signs that Access Bank has severed ties with him, many of the affected workers believe that meaningful justice might not be served.
When FIJ checked Ejezie’s LinkedIn account on Friday morning, it initially showed that he was still employed as a Quality Assurance Specialist. However, by the afternoon, the status had been changed to reflect his departure.
According to his LinkedIn history, Ejezie joined Access Bank as a contact centre agent in February 2023 and was promoted to the quality assurance role in October of the same year.
The fact that he was released not long after his arrest has led several staff members to fear that the bank could downplay the case to avoid damaging its public image.
“Maybe it’s because we’re contract workers,” a staff member told FIJ.
Working in shifts, employees at the bank’s customer care hub often sleep and freshen up at the office, providing Ejezie the opportunity to carry out his illicit activities, sources explained.
“He sneaked into the ladies’ restroom. I think he was trying to place his camera like he usually does but got trapped when he saw women coming in, so he hid inside one of the toilets,” one worker narrated to FIJ.
Notably, the men’s restroom is located far enough from the women’s, making accidental entry unlikely, the source added.
According to FIJ, a female colleague who was bathing noticed a hidden phone recording her. She spotted a camera sticking out from a closed toilet seat and raised an alarm.
When those outside demanded the person inside to reveal themselves, Ejezie eventually opened the door.
“People were stunned when they saw it was Stephen. He claimed he had no idea how he ended up in the women’s restroom but couldn’t explain the recording,” an insider recounted.
Further investigations uncovered videos on his devices capturing male and female colleagues nude or bathing. A police search of his residence the next day reportedly uncovered over 400 such videos.
Sources further alleged that Ejezie was selling the content online.
“He sells to foreigners, especially Indians and white people,” one insider claimed, adding that he ran an OnlyFans account where he posted stolen footage. Some of the clips were reportedly distributed via Telegram as well.
Despite the shocking discovery, colleagues described Ejezie as someone no one would have suspected.
“He was friendly and caring. Plus, he was an outstanding agent,” a former colleague said to FIJ. “No one could have imagined this coming from him.”
Many employees at the centre are now grappling with fear and anxiety, concerned that Access Bank might prioritise its reputation over their welfare.
“What happens to us if those videos he sold start circulating someday?” one distressed worker asked.
In a Friday morning meeting held by management, staff were warned against staying overnight at the office a practice once common due to shift schedules. Employees were also cautioned that any future incidents could result in long-term imprisonment.
“We’re now officially prohibited from staying back after work hours,” a worker told FIJ.
Instead of reassuring staff, many employees said the management’s actions only deepened suspicions that the issue was being swept under the rug.
“Nobody feels confident enough to push back,” another contact staff member shared. “We’re not seen as important. Any small mistake, and you’re discarded.”
The fear of appearing in the leaked videos is also weighing heavily on employees, FIJ reported.
“Some people might not even know they’re victims,” said one staff member. “It’s scary because if these videos surface years later, especially when people have moved on to bigger roles or political careers, nothing can be done about it. He has over 400 videos. That’s massive.”
Workers lamented that no psychological help or support system has been offered by the bank so far.
FIJ said it reached out to Access Bank for a comment but had received no response at the time of filing the report.