Ihebuzo, the self acclaimed Access Bank hacker charged to court

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – The Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Omotosho Adewunmi has narrated to Justice Olubunmi O. Abike-Fadipe of a Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja, how alleged Access Bank hacker, Chris Ihebuzo was arrested.

Led-in-evidence led by EFCC counsel, Mr. Franklin Ofoma, the witness told court that the EFCC received a petition from Access Bank complaining of viral video on social media wherein an hacker, Chris Ihebuzo bragged about hacking Access bank accounts.

Ihebuzo claimed in a viral video to have gained access into the Access Bank data base and extracted data of over 2,000 customers.

Ms Adewunmi, who is the second prosecution witness told court that when EFCC got Ihebuzo arrested, they recovered HP laptop, 12 blank Master Card ATM, documents containing account numbers, phone numbers and Biometric Verification Number, BVN of customers.

She further told court that, defendant volunteered statement to the Commission under caution.  Subsequently, Mr. Ofoma submitted the materials to court while urging court to admit same as evidence. Justice Abike-Fadipe thereafter admitted all seized material and documents as exhibits.

The EFCC had in a seven counts  charge brought against the defendant alleged that sometime in August 2020 in Lagos within the court jurisdiction, with intent to extort money from Access Bank Plc, knowingly sent an electronic mail to the management of Access Bank Plc demanding money from them.

The defendant claimed that he had in his possession, Access Bank Public liability company’s document, containing the phone numbers, bank account, NIN numbers, and biometrics verification numbers (BVN) of Access Bank customers.

His offences was said to have border on unauthorized access to computer material, intent to extort, intent to defraud, an unauthorized access to Access Bank Plc customers’ data with intent to facilitate and extort money from Access Bank Plc.

Part of the charge read that, ” Chris Ihebuzo sometimes in August 2020 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, had an unauthorized access to Access Bank Plc customers public data contrary to  sections 278(1)&(2),  285 (1) and section 21(5) and 312 (1)(a) & 2 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State and sections 385(1), 386(1), 387(1), 388(1) and 389 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel, EFCC Operative, Ms Adewunmi told court that the forensic expert of the commission gave her team, the defendant name and address. She said the document received from the Ihebuzo was exclusively for the bank.

Subsequently, the EFCC counsel asked for adjournment while the defendant counsel told court that he intend to bring two witnesses to testify for defendant. Thereafter Justice Abike-Fadipe adjourned till February 18, 2022, for continuation of trial.