The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned two men, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, a staff member of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), and Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged unlawful dealings involving the bank’s access credentials.
The defendants were arraigned alongside an individual identified as “Scott”, who the prosecution said is currently at large.
They were brought 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 Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC said the charges arose from the alleged unlawful supply and use of access credentials capable of granting access to FCMB’s database.
The offences were said to contravene provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, as well as relevant provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
EFCC prosecutor, Bilikisu Buhari, appeared for the Commission, while N. Egah represented Aghogho and M. Livingstone appeared for Chukwuebuka. Patrick Ngbeoma held a watching brief for the nominal complainant.
When the charges were read to them, Aghogho pleaded not guilty, while Chukwuebuka pleaded guilty.
Following Aghogho’s plea, Buhari urged the court to remand him in a correctional centre and sought a date for the commencement of trial.
In respect of Chukwuebuka, the prosecutor asked the court to fix a date for the review of facts following his guilty plea.
Justice Ogazi subsequently adjourned the matter 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 the FCMB system using the local Administrative Credential (ITSD), which the prosecution said was capable of allowing access to the FCMB Virtual Center Platform.
The EFCC alleged that the access credentials were supplied between July 24 and 26, 2026, in Lagos, with the intention of committing an offence.
In another count, the Commission alleged that Aghogho, between April and May 2025 in Lagos, knowingly and without lawful authority disclosed access credentials, including FCMB’s server IP and domain credentials, to facilitate access to the bank’s database in exchange for $15,000.
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 prosecution further alleged that Aghogho and Chukwuebuka, together with “Scott”, attempted to use an HP Elite laptop assigned to Aghogho by FCMB as a working tool to gain unauthorised access to the bank’s database between July 24 and 26, 2026.
The EFCC also alleged that the defendants and “Scott” attempted to intercept FCMB’s network database without authorisation.
The final two counts relate to the alleged retention of proceeds of unlawful acts.
According to the charge, Aghogho allegedly retained $2,000 on or about July 26, 2026, while Chukwuebuka allegedly retained $400, which the prosecution said they reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful acts.
