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France-based Nigerian travels to Lagos, leads cyberattacks on 10 banks
The Police Special Fraud Unit in Lagos State on Wednesday said it arrested three suspects for allegedly attempting cyberattacks on 10 banks in the state.
The spokesperson for the unit, SP Eyitayo Johnson, in a statement, said the Commissioner of Police, PSFU, Nneka Anyasinti, while acting on intelligence received from a leading new generation bank, on March 30, 2022, arrested the suspects.
Johnson said the suspects were in the final stages of recruiting a worker from the information and technology department of one of the banks in order to perfect the hacking of the banks’ network/posting application with the intent to pull out huge sums of money.
He noted that the suspects were arrested with incriminating exhibits during a meeting held with the bank worker they attempted to recruit, adding that the fourth suspect, Chibuzor Holland, who flew into the country from France specifically for the operation, escaped.
He said, “The arrested members of the syndicate include Kehinde Oladimeji, 52, the mastermind; Olanrewaju Adeshina, 47; and Kolapo Abiodun, 42. Kolapo Abiodun is an ex-staff of the bank attached to the infotech department. He contacted and attempted to recruit a current worker of the bank’s infotech department with an offer of N200m and a visa out of Nigeria.
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“The worker was asked to leave critical gateways open on the bank’s server for the syndicate to gain unauthorised access into the network and move money out using Python application and Zoom. After the arrests, forensic analysis of phones and electronic devices found in their possession disclosed a list of 10 other banks already earmarked to be hacked using a similar method once the first attack is successful.
“Operatives also discovered personal and corporate bank account details in the possession of the syndicate which they ought not to have. The case, charge no. FHC/L/238C/2022, is currently being prosecuted before Honourable Justice P.O. Lifu of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, while effort is in top gear to apprehend Chibuzor Holland.”
In a related development, the police unit confirmed the arrest of the Managing Director of Beedel Strategic Investment Co. Nigeria Limited, Moses Odeleye, over a fraud of N816m.
The PSFU spokesperson, Johnson, said discrete investigation by the unit’s operatives led to Odeleye’s arrest on May 24, 2022.
He noted that Odeleye was arrested in connection with the forgery of 11 local purchase orders of five multinational companies operating in Nigeria and one agency of the Federal Government.
Johnson stated that the suspect (Odeleye) paraded himself on social media as a successful contractor with interest in civil engineering, construction, real estate and supply, and importation of heavy engineering equipment.
He said, “Beedel (Odeleye), as the suspect is popularly known, operates in connivance with former and current procurement staff of the companies whose LPOs were used to perpetrate the fraud.
“He forged the LPOs of these companies/government agencies and approached numerous banks and investment companies with proposals to finance the LPOs, which he cleverly tenured to be paid between 30 and 60 days so as to make the LPO financing appear juicy.
“The suspect, using this modus operandi, was able to fraudulently obtain the sum of N816m from two finance companies and diverted same to fund extravagant lifestyles, which includes building a mansion, office complex and purchase of exotic automobiles.
“Investigation revealed that for over eight years, Beedel mastered the art of using cloned LPOs to consecutively secure huge sums via LPO financing from different banks/finance companies, while using monies from one bank/finance company to settle his commitments to another bank/finance company, to maintain the fraudulent cycle of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
“Beedel circumvented due diligence done by some of the banks/finance companies with the inputs of procurement staff of the companies whose LPOs were forged. These procurement staff conspired with the suspect to confirm invalid LPOs to third parties. The suspect will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.”
Meanwhile, Johnson said on April 15, 2022, the police unit was alerted to the risk and possible hack of the server of a non-interest financial institution located in Lagos State.
He said investigation by operatives attached to the Banking and Informal Financial Fraud Section of the PSFU revealed that between 3.45am and 4.55am on March 9, 2022, there was unauthorised modification of the profile of certain key staffers of the bank, which was done remotely.
“Investigation is ongoing to identify the persons responsible for the hack, while some of the staff initially alleged, have been exonerated,” he added.
metro
Edo court sentences three to death by hanging for kidnapping, murder
Edo court sentences three to death by hanging for kidnapping, murder
An Edo State High Court has sentenced three persons to death by hanging for armed robbery, kidnapping and murder.
They were convicted and sentenced by Justice Irele-Ifijeh of the Edo State High Court, Benin City.
The convicts are identified as Solomon Abuede, James Monday and Kelvin Edward.
They were sentenced to death for armed robbery, kidnapping and the murder of one Ephraim Akhere in Ihumudumun quarters in Ekpoma, the headquarters of Esan West Local Government Area of the state
Justice Ifijeh also sentenced one Oviasogie Sunday, alias Alhaji of Kano, to life imprisonment for receiving an Infinity Jeep with registration number EFR 218 FB, property of the late Ephraim, which was stolen after the murder.
The convicts were among the six persons arraigned before Justice Irele-Ifijeh in suit number: HEK/25c/24 on a six-count charge of armed robbery, kidnapping, conspiracy and receipt of stolen property.
The court, however, exonerated two others accused, David Williams and Monday Ozomo, for lack of evidence linking them to the robbery and kidnapping.
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In her judgment, Justice Ifijeh held that the kidnappers rode on a motorcycle, armed with dangerous weapons, kidnapped their victims and asked Ephraim, the driver and Sandra to move to the back seat and lower their heads while Solomon took over the driver’s seat.
The judge averred that the convicts then drove to the bank while two of them stayed with their victims inside the car.
She added that the other went to the bank with Ephraim’s ATM card to withdraw money from his account.
She disclosed that after the withdrawal, the convicts were said to have driven to an uncompleted building where one of them named Solomon Abuede threw Ephraim into a well after giving him rat poison to swallow, while the girl was given the option of jumping into the well or eating the rat poison.
The judge, further said that Solomon who provided the rat poison later spared the girl’s life but raped her instead.
The judge further added that James Monday who was said to have provided the gun used for the operation and Monday Ozomo took the Infinity Jeep and two other stolen vehicles to Kano where Oviasogie paid N420,000 for the Infinity Jeep out of the agreed N500,000
In a 91-page judgement, Justice Irele-Ifijeh said the confessional statements of Solomon Abuede, James Monday and Kelvin Edward that they participated in the armed robbery were corroborated by the evidence of one Sandra, a prosecution witness who was in the same vehicle and kidnapped along with the late Ephraim.
The judge, who said the offences were committed on June 13, 2023, said that the conviction of the three persons was in line with Section 3 of the Kidnapping Prohibition Amendment Law of Edo State 2013 and the Armed Robbery and Firearms Act.
Three to die by hanging for kidnapping, murder in Edo
metro
BREAKING: Police arraign 29 Yoruba Nation agitators in Ibadan
BREAKING: Police arraign 29 Yoruba Nation agitators in Ibadan
No fewer than 29 suspects were on Wednesday arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court for involvement and roles in aborted invasion of the Oyo State Government Secretariat on Saturday, April 13.
They were arraigned on seven count charge bordering on treasonable felony, unlawful society, illegal possession of firearm, going armed and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.The offences, according to the Investigative Police Officer, Bakare Rasaq, an Inspector with the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan is contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminak Code, Cap 38, Vol.II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.
The number is an increase of eight more following the parade of 21 suspects erier by the Oyo Police Command.
metro
Whereabouts of two FRSC officials unknown over five weeks after abduction
Whereabouts of two FRSC officials unknown over five weeks after abduction
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ebonyi has confirmed the abduction of two of its personnel by gunmen along the Abakaliki-Enugu highway.
Sector commander of the FRSC in Ebonyi, Henry Igwe, told journalists on Tuesday in Abakaliki that both personnel were abducted on March 8.
Igwe said the two personnel had concluded their duties at the corps’ Nkalagu office and were returning to Enugu when they were abducted.
He said the corps contacted their families, who informed them that the officers had yet to return home.
“The families said that some people contacted them that they were kidnappers and were demanding ransom.
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“The negotiations are between the families and kidnappers, and as an organisation, we have been doing the much we can,” he said.
The sector commander said his office had informed its headquarters of the development and formally reported to relevant security agencies.
He noted that it had not been established that the personnel were either alive or dead, but the fact remained that they had not been seen.
Jude Okpor, Ebonyi Commissioner for Information and Orientation, dismissed the insinuation that the state government was nonchalant about the situation.
“The matter has inter-state connectivity, and the government has initiated measures with its affected sister state to nip it in the bud,” he said.
DSP Joshua Ukandu, the police public relations officer in Ebonyi, urged families of victims to report such incidents to the command so that it can establish whether the incident happened at the Ebonyi axis of the road.
“The situation is more of an Enugu issue, and information on it should be sought from the Enugu command of the force.
“I believe some steps are being taken to combat it, but our safer highway teams stationed on the affected axis always assist commuters in crossing safely from the area,” he said.
Whereabouts of two FRSC officials unknown over five weeks after abduction
(NAN)
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