IN a remarkable display of honesty and integrity, a cleaner in Maiduguri, Faiza Abdulkadir, has returned ₦4.8 million mistakenly credited to her bank account, despite surviving on a modest ₦30,000 monthly salary.
Faiza, a mother of five, works at a healthcare center in Maiduguri. She told journalists that her decision was guided purely by the fear of God and the need for peace of mind.
“The money does not belong to me. I returned it to have peace of mind and avoid God’s punishment on the Day of Judgement,” she said.
Faiza explained that the process of returning the money was not immediate.
It took her three days to sort out the bank procedures before she successfully transferred the funds back to the rightful owner.
“I was restless throughout these three days. In fact, I couldn’t eat well throughout the process, until the day I finally transferred the money to the owner,” she told journalists in Borno.
Neighbours and bank officials in Maiduguri have showered Faiza with praise, describing her as a woman of discipline, strong values, and integrity.
One neighbour said her act of honesty did not come as a surprise: “We were not surprised, because of her discipline and the way she is training her children. She has very good values and lives a modest life with her five children.”
A bank staff member also testified to her rare integrity, recalling other cases where customers had chosen to keep money wrongly credited to them.
“Despite her condition, this woman chose to fear God and do the right thing. I witnessed a case in this bank when money was mistakenly transferred into a customer’s account.
“He withdrew the money and spent it. The bank staff were in serious trouble, police were involved, and yet the money was never recovered,” he said.
Faiza’s action has resonated strongly in Maiduguri and beyond, especially at a time when many Nigerians struggle under tough economic realities.
Her story has sparked admiration and calls for recognition, with many describing her as a rare symbol of honesty in difficult times.
For Faiza, however, the choice was simple: it was about fearing God, doing the right thing, and setting an example for her children.