The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two men before the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly supplying access credentials to First City Monument Bank’s (FCMB) database. The defendants, Gideon Aghogho and Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, appeared in court on Wednesday, with a third suspect, identified as Scott, reportedly at large.
Charges Under Cybercrimes Act
According to a statement by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale on Thursday, the defendants face eight charges brought under Sections 27 and 28(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act. The EFCC alleged that between 24 and 26 July in Lagos, the defendants conspired to supply Mr Aghogho’s access code to FCMB’s system using the bank’s local Administrative Credential (ITSD).
The commission said the credential could provide access to the bank’s Virtual Centre Platform and was allegedly supplied for the purpose of committing an offence. In another count, the EFCC alleged that Mr Aghogho, between April and May 2025, disclosed the bank’s server IP and domain credentials without authorisation to facilitate access to its database. He allegedly received $15,000 for the credentials.
Pleas and Court Proceedings
Mr Aghogho pleaded not guilty to the charges, while Mr Chukwuebuka pleaded guilty. Following Mr Aghogho’s plea, prosecution lawyer Bilkisu Buhari asked the court to remand him in a correctional centre and adjourn the case for trial. For Mr Chukwuebuka, the prosecution sought time to review the facts following his guilty plea.
The trial judge, Friday Ogazi, adjourned the case until 27 August for a review of the facts and other proceedings. The judge ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional centre.
Earlier Cyber Fraud Attempt
The case comes months after FCMB reportedly blocked an attempted cyber-fraud operation targeting more than N3 billion. Reports from proceedings before the Lagos State Special Offences Court said about N677 million had reached the alleged fraudsters before the bank detected the transactions, while about N2.4 billion was blocked or recovered. That incident is separate from the present case, and the EFCC has not linked the defendants arraigned before Mr Ogazi to the earlier attempted fraud.
