3 Wema Bank staff, 4 others remanded for hacking bank’s system, theft of N8.5bn
A photo of Wema Bank branch in Lagos and CEO, Moruf Oseni
Three staff members of Wema Bank Nigeria PLC and four other individuals have been remanded at Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre following their arraignment over alleged N8.5 billion fraud.
The suspects are facing charges of allegedly stealing ₦8,568,090,500 from the bank by unlawfully accessing its server.
The seven defendants — Samuel Ihechuckwu Asiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi, Hamzat Zakariya, Onyeimachi Fabian, Achonu Chukwuka Ubaka, Sunday Osademe, and Nurudeen Ibrahim — were arraigned before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, on a four-count amended charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The charges border on conspiracy, stealing, unauthorized access to a computer system, and impersonation.
During the proceedings, M.K. Bashir appeared for the EFCC, while each defendant was represented by legal counsel. The amended charge, dated June 17, 2025, and filed on June 19, 2025, was read to the defendants by the court registrar, and all seven pleaded not guilty.
According to the EFCC, the accused conspired in January 2025 to illegally access Wema Bank’s computer system and steal the said amount.
One of the counts stated that they “unauthorisedly accessed the bank’s server to facilitate the theft of an aggregate sum of N8,568,090,500 from accounts domiciled with Wema Bank Nigeria PLC.” The charge also mentions one “Alhaji Sulaiman” and other unnamed persons currently at large.
The offences allegedly contravene Sections 285, 386, and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the case to September 15, 2025, for the commencement of trial.
