The management of one of the top commercial banks, UBA, are still in shock over a monumental fraud by hackers, who allegedly manipulated their banking security features, hacked into customers accounts and siphoned hundreds of millions of Naira within minutes with the aid of a software.
P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the hacking syndicate targeted over 1, 000 customers account with huge sums of money in their accounts, successfully hacked into them and had thrown the bank into serious debt as the customers want their money back.
Following the alleged financial fraud, the management of the UBA wrote a petition to the Zone 2 Police Command Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos and asked for intervention. They narrated how the syndicate hacked into bank customers accounts and defrauded them of several millions of Naira.
The Police moved into action and arrested two suspects, Yusuf Ademola, 40, and Adesina Olawale Abiodun, 50, who were tracked down to their hideouts in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, in connection with the monumental fraud. The Police have equally declared manhunt for other members of the syndicate.
This was disclosed by the Zonal Police Publlic Relations Officer, Zone 2 Command, SP Hauwa Idris Adamu, who confirmed that over 1, 000 victims were defrauded by members of the syndicate, who are scattered all over the country.
SP Adamu explained that the syndicate was busted on 8th May, 2023, following a petition submitted by United Bank for Africa (UBA) to the Assistant Inspector- General of Police, Mr. Ari Mohammed Ali, that there were some members of a syndicate that specialized on internet fraud targeted at various banks in Nigeria most especially United Bank for Africa (UBA), in which they hacked into customers accounts and moved their monies.
“Based on the petition, the AIG raised a team of detectives from the Zonal Monitoring Unit, who swung into action and with the aid of modern technology, two suspects; Yusuf Ademola, 40, and Adesina Olawale Abiodun, 50, were tracked down to their hideouts in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.”
“The suspects confessed to the crime and that they have many syndicates all over Nigeria, which use softwares to hack into customers’ accounts and move their money undetected from any bank they wish.”
“However, the modus operandi of these fraudsters is to have a customer’s BVN linked phone number and bank alert for easy transfer of the money.”
Consequently, over 1, 000 customers’ accounts had been hacked and defrauded across the country.
“Further investigation into the incident revealed that members of the syndicates were drawn from different parts of the country. Efforts are in top gear to arrest other suspects connected with this crime.”
“In the interim, investigation is still ongoing and the suspects will soon be arraigned in Court upon completion of investigation” she stated.
Meanwhile, P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the management and the affected customers were said to be in disagreement over the stolen funds on who will bear the liability as the accounts were temporarily suspended by the Bank.