Lagos speaker Obasa loses N9.2m to Facebook hackers

Three men, accused of cyber crime and theft of N9.2million, property of Lagos State House Speaker, have been sent to Ikoyi Prison by a Federal High Court in Lagos, after they were docked today. The men, Frank Nwokobia, 27, Ezeoke Kanayochukwu, 25, and Godwin Essien, 28, were charged by the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), of the Lagos State Police Command, Panti-Yaba,of the Nigerian Police Force. The police said the three men conspired to hack the Facebook account of the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and also gained access to his account at Guaranty Trust Bank, where they stole his N9, 188,100.

The men, arrested in Delta state, were all arraigned before Justice (Professor) Chuka Obiozor, on five count charge of conspiracy, impersonation, and theft. The Police prosecutor Barrister Williams Olu Ologun informed the court that the three accused were arrested in Delta State, after Obasa, petitioned the police that his Facebook account had been hacked into and that the sum of N9.188,100 million had been withdrawn from his account by unidentified individuals.

He also stated that upon the arrest of the accused , they voluntarily made statement admitting being into cyber crime business. he three accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. Upon their pleas of not-guilty, their lawyer, Mr. Ali Abba,urged the court to admit them to bail in liberal terms,as they have credible sureties, and that they will always attend court for their trial. Justice Chuka Obiozor, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety each.