Nigerian Journal Sustainability Research

EFCC Arraigns Two Men Over Alleged $15,000 Sale of FCMB Bank Access Credentials

2026-08-20
Eight Counts, Two Very Different Pleas

The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned two men, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho and Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, before Justice F.N. Ogazi of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over allegations that they unlawfully supplied and disclosed access credentials to a bank's database. The arraignment took place Wednesday, August 19, 2026, with the pair charged alongside a third suspect, identified only as Scott, who remains at large. In total, the defendants face an eight-count charge under Sections 27 and 28(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.

When the charges were read, the two men responded very differently: Aghogho pleaded not guilty, while Chukwuebuka pleaded guilty.

What They're Accused of Doing

According to the EFCC's charges, the alleged scheme involved credentials tied to First City Monument Bank's (FCMB) internal systems. One count alleges that between July 24 and 26, 2026, Aghogho, Chukwuebuka, and Scott conspired in Lagos to unlawfully supply Aghogho's own access code, described as a local Administrative Credential tied to FCMB's IT Services Division (ITSD), an access level the commission says was capable of granting entry to the bank's Virtual Center Platform.

A separate, earlier count accuses Aghogho individually of knowingly and without authorization disclosing sensitive bank access information, including the server's IP address and domain credentials, between April and May 2025. That disclosure, prosecutors allege, was made specifically to facilitate unauthorized access to FCMB's database, in exchange for a payment of $15,000.

What Happens Next

Following the pleas, prosecution counsel Bilkisu Buhari asked the court to remand Aghogho at a correctional facility and requested a trial date be set, given his not-guilty plea. For Chukwuebuka, who pleaded guilty, the prosecution instead asked the court to review the facts of the case before proceeding further. Justice Ogazi granted the request to remand both defendants at a correctional centre and adjourned the matter until August 27, 2026, for a review of the facts and further proceedings.

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