The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has disclosed the arrest of a candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for Kogi State House of Assembly, Ismaila Yusuf Atumeyi, in possession of N326 million and $140,500 in cash.
The NNPP candidate, Atumeyi, contesting to represent Ankpa 11 Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly, according to the EFCC, was arrested on Sunday together with one Joshua Dominic, serial fraudster, in a sting operation at Macedonia Street, Queens Estate, Karsana, Gwarinpa, Abuja.
The Media and Publicity Director of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement, disclosed that the commission further arrested Abdumalik Salau Femi, a former bank employee, who allegedly supplied the inside information that facilitated the attack on the bank by the syndicate. He said Sakau Femi was picked up on Tuesday at Radisson Blu Hotel in Lagos.
The EFCC further disclosed that after the arrest, operatives of the commission conducted search on his residence in Morgan Estate, Ojodu, the sum of $470,000 was recovered.
The EFCC arrested the suspects after months of investigation into the hacking of one of the commercial banks by a syndicate of fraudsters who pulled off a heist of N1.4 billion.
The syndicate allegedly transferred N887 million into the account of Fav Oil and Gas limited, from where the monies were paid to several Bureau de Change operators and some auto dealers for exchange into United States dollars and purchase of high-end cars.
Dominic, who has severally been arrested for fraud, assisted Atumeyi perfect the hacking plan through Abdumalik. Dominic, a self-styled investment expert and managing director of Brisk Capital Limited, who was arrested in May 2021 by the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police over N2 billion investment scam. He defrauded over 500 persons in a phony investment scheme.
Two Range Rover Luxury SUVs were recovered from the two suspects arrested in Abuja.
EFCC said they will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.
The commission in the statement further declared: “Meanwhile, the Commission expresses concern about the rising spate of cyber-attacks on banks and the reluctance of the institutions to report such breaches to law enforcement.
“While warning that such reticence would only embolden the criminals, the EFCC appeals to financial institutions to collaborate with it to secure the financial sector from threats of cyber-attacks.
“It will also be recalled that the EFCC had in the wake of the recent announcement by the Central Bank Nigeria, CBN of plans to redesign and re-issue higher denominations of the Naira, warned Bureau de Change operators to be wary of currency hoarders who would attempt to seize the opportunity to offload the currencies they had illegally stashed away.”