Admin I Monday I June 24, 2025
IKEJA, Lagos – Wema Bank Plc, one of the oldest banks in Nigeria is in the news once more but for a very bad reason.
Three staff of the bank staff and four others were today remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre, formerly Kirikiri Maximum Prison for stealing N8,568,090,500 billion from customers deposits.
Thy were remanded following arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja.
They were docked on a 4-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, unauthorised access of computer system and impersonation.
The suspects are; Samuel Ihechuckwu Asiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi, Hamzat Zakariya, Onyeimachi Fabian, Achonu Chukwuka Ubaka, Sunday Osademe and Nurudeen Ibrahim.
When the matter was called, M.K Bashir announced appearance for EFCC.
Also, the defendants were represented in court during their arraignment by their counsel.
Defence counsel C.T Ajah appeared for first defendant, Dr. Benson Enikuomehin for second defendant, Mohammed Halilu for 3rd and 6th defendant, Mercy Akhobue-Izunovi held brief for N. Anoka for 4th defendant, for 5th defendant Victoria Amiohu and Sebastian Okeke for the seventh defendant.
At the arraignment, the EFCC informed the court of an amended charged dated 17th June 2025 and filed on 19th June, 2025 said same in respect of the defendants.
The court registrar read the charge to them and they pleaded non guilty to the charge.
The defendants were alleged to have conspired to commit felony wit stealing contrary Section 409 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
EFCC vs. Wema Bank: The charge
EFCC alleged that “Samuel Ihechuckwu Asiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi, Hamzat Zakariya, Onyeimachi Fabian, Achonu Chukwuka Ubaka, Sunday Osademe and Nurudeen Ibrahim, Alhaji Sulaiman at large and other persons at large, sometimes in January 2025, conspired among themselves to steal money from Wema Bank Nigeria PLC.
Count two reads, “Samuel Ihechuckwu Asiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi, Hamzat Zakariya, Onyeimachi Fabian, Achonu Chukwuka Ubaka, Sunday Osademe and Nurudeen Ibrahim, Alhaji Sulaiman at large and other persons at large, sometimes in January 2025, stole and converted to your own use and aggregate sum of N8,568,090,500 billion from Wema Bank PLC
While count three reads, “Samuel Ihechuckwu Asiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi, Hamzat Zakariya, Onyeimachi Fabian, Achonu Chukwuka Ubaka, Sunday Osademe and Nurudeen Ibrahim, Alhaji Sulaiman at large and other persons at large, sometimes in January 2025, conspired among yourselves without authority, unauthorised of access of computer system of Wema Bank in order to facilitate the stealing of the money.
Count four reads “Samuel Ihechuckwu Asiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi, Hamzat Zakariya, Onyeimachi Fabian, Achonu Chukwuka Ubaka, Sunday Osademe and Nurudeen Ibrahim, Alhaji Sulaiman at large and other persons at large, sometimes in January 2025, unauthorised of access with intent to commit and impersonate the commitment other offences contrary to Section 386 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
“Samuel Ihechuckwu Asiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi, Hamzat Zakariya, Onyeimachi Fabian, Achonu Chukwuka Ubaka, Sunday Osademe and Nurudeen Ibrahim, Alhaji Sulaiman at large and other persons at large, sometimes in January 2025, sometimes in January 2025, had unauthorised access to Wema Bank computer and server with intent to facilitate the stealing of an aggregate sum of sum of N8,568,090,500 billion from account domiciled at Wema Bank Nigeria PLC.”
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter to September 15, 2025, for trial.
