Police Arrest Bank Workers For $2m Fraud

Three employees of Zenith Bank Plc national headquarters, Ajose Adeogun street, Victoria Island, Lagos State, have been arrested by the Special Anti Robbery Squad, Ikeja, Lagos for their alleged involvement in a $2m fraud.

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Police sources told PUNCH Metro that a senior official of the bank, Ms. Olubukola Oritogun, and two others allegedly defrauded unsuspecting customers of the said sum. A fourth yet-to-be identifed person is said to be on the run.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Oritogun and her accomplices were allegedly in the habit of informing wealthy customers who wanted to buy dollars that there was a dollar account in the bank that they could purchase them from.

The source, who requested anonymity said, “Oritogun would inform some persons that if they wanted to buy dollars, it was available in the bank. She would make the account details available to the customer. Unknown to the victim, the dollar account is owned by another customer of the bank.

“The victim would then ask his own contact in the bank to check the account. Once it has been confirmed that the account indeed has a certain amount of dollars, the victim would then transfer the naira equivalent of what he wanted to buy to  Oritogun in exchange for the dollars.”

She was said to have defrauded several persons in that manner until a complaint was lodged at SARS.

PUNCH Metro gathered that on the day of Oritogun’s arrest, she had already booked a flight to the United States and was preparing to flee the country.

It was learnt that the police had recovered N166m of the stolen funds.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations officer, DSP Ngozi Braide, said she would call our correspondent back whe she was contacted.

The bank’s spokesperson, Mr. Victor Adoji, when contacted, said, “We actually detected the fraud first. We subsequently made a report to the Special Fraud Unit and they have started investigation. Some of our employees were arrested in connection with the case.

“As of now, we have  feedback as regards the current state of investigation.”

1 COMMENT

  1. Most Nigerians does not deserves to grant pardon from death penalty any part of the globe and probably believe will help to reduce criminal activities perpectrates by nigerians at home and abroad. To make matter worse the Government and politician fell into the same category where corruption and other criminal activities flourish in the country where Corruption scam is increasingly becoming popular under GEJ administration and makes the country highly vulnerable to economy collapse if not addressed quickly.The Minister of trade and planning travel to oversees countries canversing to foreign investors to come and invest in nigeria was a welcome idea and some how yieds little positive result. Regretably, Jonathan continue to seating on the fence and fails to condemning corrupt criminals offences, and by doing that the president is sending wrong signals to the investors that the government is not ready to fight corruption. Unfortunately, the president made some damaging comments while in New York that corruption in nigeria was over amplifier more than it should to the world through western media. according to the president corruption in the list of investors doing business in nigeria came fourth position in the investors chart. What a ridiculus statement from elected president?.Recently, The world bank ranking shows out of 183 countries Nigeria ranking 131 ease place to doing business and government was very outraged and said World Bank was biased . There was no biased over the ranking at all. Nigeria should do more to improve where the country fell short and do away with many bottle neck Government policies that is hurting ease to doing businesses in the country . Nigerians appreciate the president economy recovery efforts so far. Unfortunately,corruption and misappropiate public funds pose great danger to the economy development and thats where GEJ is failing. Mr President should do more and prove to the world corruption has no place in the administration. and not merely talk but by action and demonstration. Nigerians fast growing working class unemployment rate was ten times more than the economy opportunities in nigeria toady .The government should show its capacity and the will to fight corruption.Mr president recently said posterity will judge his leadership and most Nigerians feels the same way.Therefore African leaders should completely submits and allows the constitution prevails instead what mostost African leaders believes that personal interest is superior to democracy and the rule of law of the country .Nigeria leadership is on a cross road where democracy and rule of law is under attack .The Global investor predicts Africa could becoming the next Asians within next 10 years on the condition if the continents economy rightly manage,and with reference to nigeria .Now it is fair to ask GEJ how can such dream become a reality in the midst of mass corruption among government officials?. The Government must demonstrate some high level government transparency and to fight corruption and security head-on also embark on huge infrastruture projects in the country to meet vision 2020 ,and is not too late to turn the table. Posterity the president says will judge aftreall and could not be more right to made such a statement. Lastly, Good or bad the end shall tell.