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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) have arrested New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate for the Kogi State House of Assembly, Ismaila Atumeyi, with N326 million and $140,500 cash.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said Atumeyi, who is seeking to represent Ankpa State Constituency II in the Kogi State House of Assembly, was arrested on Sunday, October 30, 2022, alongside one Joshua Dominic, an alleged serial fraudster, in a sting operation at Macedonia Street, Queens Estate, Gwarimpa, Abuja.
Uwujaren said the money were proceeds from the hacking of a commercial bank.
Also arrested in connection with the fraud is Abdulmalik Femi, a former bank employee, who allegedly supplied the inside information that facilitated the attack on the bank by the syndicate.
The EFCC spokesperson added that Abdulmalik was picked up on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lagos.
“Following his arrest, a search was conducted on his home in Morgan Estate, Ojodu, where a total of $470,000 was recovered.
“The arrest of the suspects followed months of investigation into the hacking of one of the commercial banks by a syndicate of fraudsters who pulled off a heist of N1.4 billion.
“The syndicate moved N887 million into the account of Fav Oil and Gas Limited, from where the monies were paid to several Bureau de Change operators and some auto dealers for exchange into United States dollars and purchase of high-end cars,” he said.
Dominic, who has severally been arrested for fraud, allegedly helped Atumeyi perfect the hacking plan through Abdulmalik.
Dominic, a self-styled investment expert and Managing Director of Brisk Capital Limited was arrested in May 2021 by the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police for alleged N2 billion investment scam. He allegedly defrauded over 500 persons in a phony investment scheme.
Two Range Rover Luxury SUVs were recovered from the two suspects arrested in Abuja.
Uwujaren noted that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded.
Meanwhile, the commission has expressed concern about the rising spate of cyber-attacks on banks and the reluctance of the institutions to report such breaches to law enforcement agencies.
While warning that such reticence would only embolden the criminals, the EFCC appeals to financial institutions to collaborate with it to secure the financial sector from threats of cyber attacks.