The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned two men before the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged unlawful dealings involving access credentials to First City Monument Bank’s computer systems.
The defendants, FCMB staff member Gideon Bakpa Aghogho and Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, were arraigned before Justice F.S.N. Ogazi on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unauthorised access to a computer system, unlawful disclosure of access credentials, attempted interception of a network database and retention of proceeds of unlawful acts.
The prosecution also named an individual identified as “Scott” as an alleged accomplice who is currently at large.
While Aghogho pleaded not guilty to the charges, Chukwuebuka pleaded guilty.
Following Aghogho’s plea, EFCC prosecutor Bilikisu Buhari urged the court to remand him in a correctional facility and fix a date for trial. She also requested a date for the review of facts concerning Chukwuebuka following his guilty plea.
Justice Ogazi subsequently adjourned the case until August 27, 2026, for review of facts and other proceedings, and ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional centre.
According to the charge, Aghogho allegedly supplied his access code to FCMB’s system through the local Administrative Credential, which the prosecution said could provide access to the bank’s Virtual Center Platform.
The EFCC alleged that the credentials were supplied between July 24 and 26, 2026, in Lagos, with the intention of facilitating an offence.
In another count, Aghogho was accused of unlawfully disclosing FCMB server IP and domain credentials between April and May 2025 in exchange for $15,000, allegedly to facilitate access to the bank’s database.
Chukwuebuka was similarly accused of disclosing access credentials, including the bank’s server IP and domain credentials, allegedly for a financial benefit of $10,000.
The commission further alleged that Aghogho, Chukwuebuka and the fugitive suspect, “Scott”, attempted to use an HP Elite laptop assigned to Aghogho by FCMB to gain unauthorised access to the bank’s database between July 24 and 26, 2026.
They were also accused of attempting to intercept the bank’s network database without authorisation.
The final two counts concern the alleged retention of proceeds of unlawful acts. The EFCC alleged that Aghogho retained $2,000 on or about July 26, 2026, while Chukwuebuka allegedly retained $400, which the commission said they ought reasonably to have known were proceeds of unlawful activities.
The EFCC said the charges followed investigations into the alleged unlawful supply and use of access credentials capable of granting access to FCMB’s database.
The alleged offences contravene provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, and relevant provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
