Ex-Banker, 2 Others Arrested in Enugu for N4m Scam

Police Nab Former Banker, 2 Others for N4m Fraud in Enugu

“Okwudili subsequently withdrew N100,000, giving Nnamani N50,000 as a 'reward' for his role...”

A former banker and two others have been arrested in Enugu for allegedly attempting to steal N4 million through identity theft.

A former banker, Ndulaka Okwudili, and a National Identification Number enrolment agent, Philip Ozogwu, have been arrested by the Enugu State Police Command for allegedly attempting to steal N4 million from a customer through identity theft.

The suspects allegedly used the identity of Mba John Ndukwe, a Nigerian living in Australia, to carry out the fraud. According to the police spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent Daniel Ndukwe, Okwudili found a bag containing personal items, including SIM cards, and used one of the SIM cards to access the victim's bank account.

Okwudili then collaborated with Ifeanyi Nnamani, a bank employee, to reactivate the account and withdraw funds. Ozogwu, the NIN enrolment agent, was also involved, as he allegedly changed Okwudili's NIN details to match those of the victim.

When Okwudili encountered difficulties accessing the account in September 2024, he visited a branch of the victim's bank. There, he conspired with Ifeanyi Nnamani, a former bank employee with 17 years of service. Nnamani informed Okwudili that the account had been flagged with a 'Post No Debit' status, advising him to obtain a court affidavit and modify his National Identification Number (NIN) details to match those of the account holder.

Okwudili then enlisted the services of Philip Ozogwu, an NIN enrolment agent, who illegally altered his NIN details, including his name and date of birth, to match those of the victim. Okwudili paid Ozogwu N40,000 for the illicit service. This alteration enabled Nnamani to facilitate the fraudulent reactivation of the account, bypassing verification checks, including the Bank Verification Number (BVN) link.

“Using the fraudulent NIN, Nnamani reactivated the account and bypassed verification checks, including the Bank Verification Number (BVN).

“Okwudili subsequently withdrew N100,000, giving Nnamani N50,000 as a 'reward' for his role.

“Further withdrawals totaling N1.5 million triggered an alert at the bank's Ohafia, Abia State, branch, where the account was originally opened.

“This led to the discovery of the fraud and a report to the police by the bank's Enugu branch.” the statement added.

The police apprehended Okwudili and Nnamani on October 18 during another attempted transaction, while Ozogwu was arrested later. The trio was charged with conspiracy, identity theft, forgery, and fraud at the Enugu North Magistrate Court.

The court ordered that Okwudili and Nnamani be remanded at the Enugu Maximum Custodial Centre, while Ozogwu was granted bail pending further investigation. This development comes after the suspects allegedly attempted to steal N4 million from a customer through identity theft.

In response to the incident, the state's commissioner of police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, commended the bank for its role in exposing the fraudulent activities. He also urged the public to protect their personal information and devices holding sensitive data to prevent becoming victims of similar crimes.