The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested two former employees of Union Bank for allegedly stealing N4.1 million from the account of a deceased customer.
The suspects, Idah Ogoh and Agbo Okwute, were apprehended in Makurdi on June 14, 2024.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the arrests followed a petition from Union Bank concerning fraudulent debits on the account of Emmanuel Azer Agenna, a deceased customer.
The bank’s internal investigation revealed that Ogoh, a Sales and Service Associate, procured a debit card for Agenna’s account on May 10, 2023, which was subsequently authorized by the bank.
Ogoh then handed the card to Okwute, another Sales and Service Associate, who delivered it to an accomplice to facilitate the unauthorized transfer and withdrawal of funds.
The fraudulent activities came to light when Agenna’s family approached Union Bank to process the account balance for probate.
The family disputed the balance provided by the bank, leading to a complaint about unauthorized debits. Union Bank’s internal probe confirmed the illicit transactions, prompting the bank to involve the EFCC.
“Their dealings were uncovered when the family of the deceased approached the bank for the balance on the account of the deceased for probate processing,” Oyewale stated.
The EFCC’s prompt response led to the arrest of Ogoh and Okwute, who are now facing charges related to the embezzlement.
The commission assured that the suspects would be charged in court as soon as investigations are concluded.
