The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, has arraigned two employees of Premium Trust Bank—Kehinde Odeyemi and Matthew Adeniyi Damilola—alongside three others for alleged conspiracy to commit cybercrime and theft.
The suspects were brought before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy to manipulate the bank’s digital infrastructure in a bid to steal depositors’ funds.
Also arraigned were Samson Latshin Dakup, Bolaji Omotosho Yinka, and Sunday Badeniyi Okunola.
The EFCC alleged that the group conspired to compromise Premium Trust Bank’s server and domain credentials, attempting to unlawfully access the bank’s database.
The planned cyber heist was foiled by the Commission before any funds could be stolen.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Kehinde Odeyemi, Samson Latshin Dakup, Bolaji Omotosho Yinka, Sunday Badeniyi Okunola, and Matthew Adeniyi Damilola, along with persons still at large—including one Victor Joshua Ilemona a.k.a. Oracle—between April and May 2025 in Lagos, conspired to manipulate the server IP and domain credentials of Premium Trust Bank to unlawfully access its entire database for the purpose of stealing funds, an offence contrary to Sections 27 and 28(1)(b), and punishable under Section 28(2) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended 2024).”
The defendants all pleaded not guilty.
Following their pleas, EFCC counsel Zeenat B. Atiku requested a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded at a correctional facility.
Counsel to the first defendant, Adeleke Adepoju, appealed for bail in the most liberal terms, citing limited time to file a formal application.
Other defence lawyers also sought to make oral bail submissions.
The case has been adjourned for further hearing.
