The Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), covering Lagos and Ogun states, has apprehended two individuals who specialize in illegally accessing bank customers’ accounts.
Hauwa Idris-Adamu, the spokesperson for the command, confirmed the arrest of these two suspects in a statement issued on Tuesday in Lagos.
The arrest came after the police force received a complaint from United Bank for Africa (UBA) in May.
Idris-Adamu further revealed that the suspects were tracked down and apprehended in Ijebu Ode, Ogun state.
“On the 8th of May 2023, a petition was submitted by United Bank for Africa (UBA) to the AIG that there are some syndicates that specialise in internet fraud of various banks in Nigeria, most especially United Bank for Africa (UBA).
“They hack into customers’ accounts and move their money.
“Based on the petition, the AIG raised a team of detectives from the zonal monitoring unit, which swung into action with the aid of modern technology.
“The two suspects were tracked down at their hideout at Ijebu Ode, Ogun state.
“They confessed that they had many syndicates all over Nigeria and used software to hack into customers’ accounts and move their money undetected from any bank.
“The modus operandi of these fraudsters is to have a customer’s BVN-linked phone number for easy money transfer.
“Consequently, over 1,000 customers’ accounts have been hacked, and the customers defrauded across the country.”
Idris-Adamu added that further investigation into the incident revealed that members of the syndicates were from different parts of the country.
Also, she said efforts were being intensified to arrest all those connected with the crime.
