LAGOS, NIGERIA — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned a staff member of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, and his alleged accomplice, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged unlawful dealings involving the bank’s access credentials.

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The defendants were arraigned before Justice F.S.N. Ogazi alongside one “Scott,” whom the prosecution identified as being at large. They face 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 allegedly derived from unlawful activities.

According to the EFCC, the alleged offences contravened provisions of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, as well as relevant provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The prosecution alleged that Aghogho provided his access credentials to FCMB’s system through a local Administrative Credential (ITSD), which could facilitate access to the bank’s Virtual Centre Platform.

The EFCC further alleged that between July 24 and 26, 2026, in Lagos, Aghogho and Chukwuebuka, working with the suspect identified as “Scott,” attempted to gain unauthorised access to the bank’s database using an HP Elite laptop assigned to Aghogho by FCMB.

$15,000, $10,000 Allegedly Paid for Credentials

In another count, the anti-graft agency alleged that Aghogho, between April and May 2025, unlawfully disclosed FCMB’s access credentials, including its server IP and domain credentials, to facilitate access to the bank’s database in exchange for $15,000.

Chukwuebuka was similarly accused of disclosing the bank’s server IP and domain credentials for an alleged financial benefit of $10,000.

The EFCC also alleged that Aghogho retained $2,000 on or about July 26, 2026, while Chukwuebuka allegedly retained $400, which the prosecution said they ought reasonably to have known were proceeds of unlawful activities.

When the charges were read to them, Aghogho pleaded not guilty, while Chukwuebuka pleaded guilty to the allegations against him.

Following Aghogho’s plea, EFCC prosecutor Bilikisu Buhari urged the court to remand him in a correctional facility and requested a date for the commencement of trial.

For Chukwuebuka, the prosecution asked the court to fix a date for the review of facts following his guilty plea.

Justice Ogazi subsequently adjourned the case until August 27, 2026, for review of facts and other proceedings, and ordered that both defendants be remanded in a correctional centre.

The charges remain allegations until determined by the court.