Court Remands Alleged Hackers Over N95.9m Fraud

Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos has remanded four persons, Ada Onuwualu, Innocent Okeke, Emmanuel Njoku and Ogaga Iyomo in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services for allegedly hacking into a payment platform and stealing a total of N95,907,884.13.

Justice Osiagor ordered that they be kept behind bars after they pleaded not guilty to a seven-count charge of conspiracy, hacking, unlawful transfer of funds, theft and receiving stolen funds brought against them by operatives from the Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID).

The police prosecutor, Morufu Animashaun, informed the judge that the defendants committed the offences sometime in June 2025 at 20 Adesola Street, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Animashaun also alleged that all defendants and others at large hacked into Quick Company’s system and unlawfully transferred N95, 907,884.13 into various bank accounts.

He further claimed that the defendants converted part of the money, approximately 8,073,689. 99 Kenyan Shillings (KES).

The prosecutor added that Onuwualu received N3.2 million, which was kept in her Keystone Bank account, number 6050134351.

Animashaun maintained that the offences violated sections 1(3) of the Anti-Fraud Act 2006, Section 8 of the Cybercrimes Act 2015, and Sections 383 and 427, which are punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty.

Based on their pleas, the prosecutor urged the court to set a trial date and to remand the defendants in custody pending trial.

However, the defence lawyers announced they had filed separate bail applications on behalf of their clients.

However, the prosecutor stated that he had not yet received the applications but requested bail conditions that would ensure their appearance in court.

The judge then granted each defendant bail in the sum of N10 million each, with one surety who must be a government official with a Certificate of Occupancy and be at a Grade Level of 10 or above.

However, Justice Osiagor held that pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the defendants are to be held at the Ikoyi Correctional facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services.