Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Henry Owen
In Lagos, a court has handed down a significant sentence to two men involved in a massive cyber fraud. Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja sentenced Hamza Zakaria and Nurudeen Mohammed Ibrahim to two years and two months in prison for hacking into a modern bank’s computer system and stealing over ₦8.5 billion.
The defendants were first arraigned on May 2, 2025, charged with conspiracy, stealing, and unauthorized computer access. The court heard that in January 2025, Zakaria and Ibrahim conspired to illegally transfer and retain the stolen money from the bank’s systems. They also transferred nearly ₦25 million into an account linked to their crime, part of the larger ₦8.5 billion theft from various accounts at Wema Bank.
Initially denying the charges, the two men later changed their plea to guilty on November 14, 2025, after amended charges were presented. During the trial, a witness from the EFCC testified and presented crucial documents as evidence linking the defendants to the crime.
In delivering the judgment, Justice Oshodi found both men guilty on the two amended charges. He sentenced Zakaria to eight months in prison on the first count and Ibrahim to one year and six months on the second, with both sentences running concurrently. The court also gave them the option to pay a fine of ₦50,000 instead of serving the prison terms.
This case highlights the increasing threat of cybercrime in Nigeria, as the defendants successfully hacked into a high-tech bank system and stole billions of naira. Authorities continue to clamp down on cybercriminals, emphasizing the importance of cybersecurity measures.
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