EFCC Brings Charges Against Bank Employees and Accomplices Over Attempted Cyber Fraud in Lagos

The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has formally brought charges against two employees of Premium Trust Bank—Kehinde Odeyemi and Matthew Adeniyi Damilola—before Justice Alexander Owoeye at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday.

The two bankers were arraigned alongside Samson Latshin Dakup, Bolaji Omotosho Yinka, and Sunday Badeniyi Okunola, making up a group of five defendants now facing a seven-count charge related to conspiracy and attempted cyber theft.

According to details provided by the EFCC, the accused allegedly collaborated to infiltrate the bank’s IT framework by unlawfully manipulating its server and domain login credentials. The plot aimed to penetrate the internal systems of Premium Trust Bank in order to unlawfully extract customers’ deposits.

Fortunately, the EFCC was able to detect and neutralize the cyber breach attempt before any financial damage was inflicted.

Specific Charges Filed

One of the major counts in the charge sheet reads:

“That you, Kehinde Odeyemi, Samson Latshin Dakup, Bolaji Omotosho Yinka, Sunday Badeniyi Okunola, and Matthew Adeniyi Damilola, along with individuals identified as Humble (still at large), Wasiu (still at large), Isa Ismaila (still at large), and another known as Victor Joshua Ilemona a.k.a. Oracle (still at large), unlawfully conspired between April and May 2025 in Lagos to manipulate the access codes—including server IP and domain credentials—of Premium Trust Bank. The goal was to gain unauthorized entry into the entire digital infrastructure of the bank with the intent of stealing funds. This act violates Sections 27 and 28 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), and is punishable under Section 28 (2) of the same Act.”

All five accused persons pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

Court Proceedings and Bail Request

After the defendants entered their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Zeenat B. Atiku, requested that the court fix a trial date and order that the accused be remanded at a correctional facility until proceedings begin.

Defense counsel Adeleke Adepoju, representing the first defendant, made an oral request for bail, urging the court to grant liberal terms due to limited time to submit a formal bail application. Other defense lawyers echoed the same request for their respective clients.

However, Justice Alexander Owoeye rejected the oral applications, emphasizing that all bail requests must follow proper legal procedures and be submitted in writing.

Subsequently, the court ordered the remand of Kehinde Odeyemi at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre, while the remaining four defendants—Dakup, Omotosho, Okunola, and Damilola—were sent to Ikoyi Correctional Centre.

Cybercrime Law of Nigeria – Full Details