The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned three staff members of Wema Bank alongside four others before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, over alleged cyber-enabled fraud involving N8.5 billion.
The bank employees—Samuel Asiegbu, Fabian Onyeimachi, and Kingsley Kejim—were charged alongside Hannah Okunlola Adesokan, Hamza Zakariya, Achionu Ubaku, and Sunday Osademe on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretences.
According to a statement issued on Monday by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the defendants allegedly conspired to manipulate and alter data in Wema Bank’s system in January 2025, resulting in the loss of N8,568,090,500.
Oyewale said the defendants committed offences contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and are punishable under the same law.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Samuel Ihechukwu Asiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi and other persons at large, sometime in January 2025, conspired amongst yourselves to cause loss of property to bank accounts domiciled in Wema Bank Nigeria Plc. in order to confer economic benefit to yourselves, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.”
Another count states: “That you Samuel Ihechukwu Asiegbu and other persons at large, sometime in January 2025, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court knowingly and without authority caused the loss of an aggregate sum of N8,568,090,500 property of Wema Bank Plc. by altering, erasing and inputting data held in accounts domiciled in Wema Bank Plc. computer for the purpose of conferring economic benefit on yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.”
Oyewale noted that all seven defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their plea, EFCC counsel Aso Peters requested a trial date and moved for the remand of the defendants in a correctional facility. However, counsel for Hannah Okunlola asked that she be remanded in EFCC custody due to her health condition.
Justice Osiagor adjourned the matter to June 6, 2025, for trial. He ordered the remand of five of the defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services. Kingsley Ejim Kelechi is to remain on existing bail, while Hannah Okunlola is to be held in EFCC custody.
