A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has arraigned a manager with Premium Trust Bank Limited, Matthew Adeniyi Damilola, alongside four others, for allegedly hacking into the bank’s server.
The other defendants are Kehinde Odeyemi (a nursing mother), Samson Latshin Dakup, Bolaji Omotosho Yinka, and Sunday Badeniyi Okunnola.
They were arraigned before Justice Alexander Owoeye on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, cybercrime, and unlawful access to the bank’s database.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought the charges against them.
EFCC counsel, Zeenat B. Atiku, told the court that the offences were committed between April and May 2025. She alleged that the defendants conspired with others—identified as Humble, Isa Ismaila, and Victor Joshua Ilemona a.k.a. “Oracle”, who are currently at large—to infiltrate Premium Trust Bank’s network systems.
According to the EFCC, Damilola, who was the bank’s E-payment Service Manager, unlawfully disclosed the bank’s access credentials—including the server IP and domain details—enabling the group to gain unauthorised access to the bank’s database for illicit financial gain amounting to $10,000.
The court also heard that the defendants procured a Hewlett-Packard ProBook laptop and an Eagle flash drive, specifically configured to bypass the bank’s cybersecurity measures.
The offences contravene sections 12(1)(b), 27, 28(1)(b)(c), and 28(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, and are punishable under Section 28(2) of the same Act.
All five defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution requested that the defendants be remanded in custody and a trial date be fixed. Defence counsel attempted to move oral bail applications, but the court directed them to file formal motions.
Justice Owoeye adjourned the matter until 30 June 2025 for trial and ordered that all defendants be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
He also advised that the defence may seek an abridgement of the trial date once their bail applications are properly filed.
