EFCC arraigns two First Bank employees for alleged N47m fraud

By Benjamin Omoike

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have arraigned two employees of a commercial bank, First Bank of Nigeria, before a Kano State High Court, for allegedly withdrawing over N47 million from a customer’s account without his consent.

Both bankers, Nuhu Demba and Mohammed Musa, were said to have conspired with each other to withdraw the huge sum from a customer, Mailafia Mohammed.

At the court, Mohammed, the customer, alleged that on February 6, 2021, he was attacked in his house by armed men, who took away his mobile phone.

He noted that 48 hours after, the incident was reported to First Bank of Nigeria Limited through the Manager Dawanu Branch, where he maintains a saving account and was advised to continue using his
account as nothing would happen.

According to the customer, on February 18, 2021, he went to withdraw money and was informed that there was no money in the account.

He subsequently requested his account statement and discovered that N47, 452,055.45 was fraudulently withdrawn from the account through the use of an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), Card.

Through a statement made available by the EFCC, the anti-graft agency alleged that investigations revealed that the defendants stole the said monies from the complainant’s account through ATM and Point of Sale (POS), withdrawals.

The defendants perpetrated the fraud by using their positions to obtain ATM Cards without going through due process and without the knowledge of the account holder.

Ruling on the case, the Judge, Justice Maryam Sabo, granted the bankers’ request but on different conditions, just as she adjourned the case for further hearing in the state.