FCMB staff, others remanded over alleged $25,000 bank network hack

Justice Friday Ogazi of a Federal High Court, Lagos, had ordered the remand of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc’s Service Administrator, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, alongside a former staff member of the bank, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, for allegedly hacking into the FCMB’s database and siphoning a total sum of $25,000 USD

Justice Ogazi remanded the two defendants on Wednesday, following their arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of conspiracy, cybercrimes and fraud.

At the arraignment of the two defendants, the prosecutor, Bilikisu Buhari-Bala, informed the court that the defendants, alongside one Scott, said to be at large, committed the alleged offences between July 24 and 26, 2026.

The prosecutor informed the court that the two defendants and one Scott (said to be at large) conspired among themselves and, without authority, gained access into the FCMB’s server and fraudulently removed $25,000 USD.

Specifically, the prosecutor told the court that the first defendant, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, who is FCMB’s Service Administrator upon being approached by the second defendant, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, unlawfully release his access code to the FCMB’s system using the local Administrative Credential (ITSD), which was used to hacked the bank’s Virtual Centre Platform by others at large.

She informed the court further that upon completion of the alleged fraudulent financial act, the FCMB’s Service Administrator was given $2000 USD and the second defendant benefited $400 USD.

She told the court that the alleged illegal act of the defendants are contrary to Sections 27, 28 (1)(b) 28(5), 28(3), 12(1)(b), 18(2)(d) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended) 2024, and punishable under Sections 28(2), 28(3) and 27, 28(5), 12(1)(b), 18(3) of the same Act.

Meanwhile, the FCMB’s Service Administrator has denied the allegations, while the second defendant, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, admitted committing the offences and pleaded guilty to the charges.

Based on their pleas, Justice Ogazi adjourned to August 27, 2026, for review of facts of the charges against the second defendant.

The judge has ordered that the two defendants be remanded at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services NCoS pending till the next adjourned date.

Prior to the defendants’ arraignment, their lawyers, N. Egah and Livingstone Madu, informed the court of their clients’ intentions to enter a plea bargain agreement.

But the prosecutor denied having knowledge of such move by the defendants.

Parts of the charges against the defendants read: “That You, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, along with an individual identified as Scott (at large), conspired unlawfully between 24th and 26th of July, 2026 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by supplying for use the access code of GideOn Bakpa Aghogho to the FCMB system using the local Administrative Credential (ITSD), which is capable of allowing access to the FCMB Virtual Center Platform with the intention of committing an offence, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 and 28 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015 (as amended) 2024, which is punishable under Section 28 (2) of the same Act.

“That you Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, between April and May 2025 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly and without authority disclosed the access code (This included the bank’s server IP and domain credentials) allowing to gain access to the database of FCMB for the financial benefit of $15,000.00 (Fifteen thousand USD), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 28 (3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).

“That you Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, between April and May 2025 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court knowingly and without authority disclosed the access code (This included the bank’s server IP and domain credentials) allowing to gain access to the database of FCMB for the financial benefit of $10,000.00 (Ten thousand USD), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 28 (3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended 2024).

“That you, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, on or about the 26th of July 2026, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly retained $2000 (Two Thousand USD), which proceeds you reasonably ought to have known form part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, on or about the 26th of July 2026, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly retained $400 (Four Hundred USD), which proceeds you reasonably ought to have known form part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”