Two in Court for Alleged Unlawful Supply of FCMB Database Access Codes

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Two suspects have been brought before Justice Frida Nkemakonam Ogazi of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on an eight-count charge bordering on the unlawful supply of access credentials to the database of a commercial bank in Nigeria, FCMB.

The defendants, Mr Gideon Bakpa Aghogho and Mr Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, were arraigned on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside one Scott, who is currently at large.

According to the EFCC, the alleged offences are contrary to Sections 27 and 28(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.

Mr Aghogho was said to have between April and May 2025 in Lagos, knowingly and without authority, disclosed access credentials, including the bank’s server IP and domain credentials, to gain access to FCMB’s database in exchange for $15,000.

“That you, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, along with an individual identified as Scott (at large), conspired unlawfully between July 24 and 26, 2026, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court, by supplying for use the access code of Gideon Bakpa Aghogho to the FCMB system using the local Administrative Credential (ITSD), which is capable of allowing access to the FCMB Virtual Center Platform, with the intention of committing an offence, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 27 and 28(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, and punishable under Section 28(2) of the same Act,” one of the charges read.

After the charges were read, the first defendant pleaded not guilty, while the second defendant pleaded guilty.

Following the first defendant’s plea, prosecution counsel, Ms Bilkisu Buhari, asked the court for a date to commence trial and prayed that he be remanded in a correctional facility.

In respect of the second defendant, the prosecution sought to review the facts of the case against him following his guilty plea.

Justice Ogazi subsequently adjourned the matter until August 27, 2026, for a review of the facts and other proceedings, and ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional centre.