The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed July 21, 2026, for the arraignment of Zenith Bank Plc and three other defendants over allegations of illegally accessing and disclosing the confidential financial records of Makers Island Company Limited.
The other defendants are Oluwaseyi Famousa, Paul Oku and Yesu-Felix Abosede Alice.
Justice Hauwa Yilwa scheduled the arraignment on Monday after counsel representing the Inspector-General of Police informed the court that the defendants would face an eight-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime and unauthorised access to banking data.
According to the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/349/2026, the defendants allegedly conspired between December 4, 2025, and January 22, 2026, to unlawfully obtain, access, transmit and disclose confidential financial records belonging to Makers Island Company Limited without lawful authority or a court order.
The prosecution alleged that they used electronic communication systems and banking computer infrastructure to access, intercept, alter and disclose the company’s banking information, actions said to have compromised the integrity of its financial records.
At Monday’s proceedings, only the first defendant, Oluwaseyi Famousa, was present in court.
Prosecuting counsel, F.G. Gabriel, told the court that all the defendants had been served with the charge except Zenith Bank, adding that the bank would be served before the close of business.
After listening to the prosecution, Justice Yilwa adjourned the matter until July 21 for the formal arraignment of all the defendants.
According to the charge, the defendants allegedly conspired to commit cybercrime by unlawfully obtaining and transmitting the confidential financial records of Makers Island Company Limited, contrary to Section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended).
The prosecution also accused them of unlawfully accessing confidential bank account statements and electronic records from a secured computer system belonging to Zenith Bank without lawful authority, contrary to Section 6 of the Act.
In another count, the defendants were alleged to have intercepted electronic communications relating to the company’s banking records while they were being transmitted through computer systems without judicial authorisation, contrary to Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes Act.
The police further alleged that Paul Oku and Yesu-Felix Abosede Alice, acting with others still at large, unlawfully disclosed and transmitted the company’s confidential financial records to the email address [email protected] without lawful authority or a court order.
The charge further alleged that the defendants fraudulently obtained, diverted and manipulated confidential banking information for unlawful gain or to cause disadvantage, interfered with electronic communications and account-related data, intercepted electronic mail communications, and manipulated access to the company’s bank account and electronic records.
The alleged offences are said to be contrary to Sections 6, 11, 12, 14, 16 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended).
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