*Releases Names Of 12 Bankers Accused Of Stealing Customers Fund In Enugu Bank

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 12 bankers for suspected fraud in Enugu State.

In a statement on Saturday, by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujarem, EFCC said the suspects were arrested on Friday by its operatives from Enugu Zonal Command of the commission.

It said preliminary investigations showed that the suspects allegedly stole funds from some dormant accounts in a branch of an old generation bank in the state.

The anti-graft agency gave the names of the suspects as, Anthony Odeniyi, Onyekachi Deki, Oguchukwu Ene, Chizaram Elendu, Uchenna Anyakora, Kingsley Onah and Elizabeth Akwe.

Others are, Victoria Ezedie, Obinna Chidi-Ukah, Uzochukwu Etoh, Harrison Udeze and Chinenye Acibe.

“The stolen funds were transferred from the dormant accounts to various beneficiaries, with the principal beneficiary already identified by the EFCC,” the agency said.

The EFCC did not say if the arrested suspects were staffers of the bank.

The identity of the bank where the alleged fraud occurred was also not disclosed.

“The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the EFCC added.

Legislation
Various laws protecting bank customers from having their monies stolen by bank staffers exist in some states in Nigeria, such as Lagos and Rivers States.

Several persons have been arraigned and others convicted by various courts in the country for stealing bank customers’ monies.

An Ikeja High Court, in June 2021, convicted Francis Atuche, a former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB and Ugo Anyawu, a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, for stealing a customer’s N25.7 billion.

While Mr Atuche was sentenced to six years’ jail term, Mr Anyawu was handed four years’ imprisonment.

Beyond the laws in some states, stealing is an offence contrary to Section 390(9) of the Nigeria Criminal Code 2007.

Offenders are liable to at least three years imprisonment, on conviction, depending on the nature of the crime.