Ololade Adeyanju/
A female ex-staff of Ecobank Nigeria Plc. has been declared wanted over a Queen-size insider fraud.
The woman, Theresa Odubanjo, allegedly absconded with over N500 million belonging to some customers of the bank.
The suspect was working at the Warehouse Road, Apapa Branch of the bank until April last year when she absconded from duty.
NewsmakersNG learnt that 43-year-old Odubanjo, who was a Relationship Manager with the bank, vanished without a trace when she realised that her cover was about to be blown.
It was gathered that the victims of the fraud were customers with fixed deposit accounts with the bank, whose investments she was managing as the Account Officer.
A source familiar with the police investigation told NewsmakersNG that the suspect perpetrated the fraud over a long period by cloning the accounts of her victims and using it to siphon funds from their original accounts.
NewsmakersNG learnt that the method employed by the suspect in perpetrating the fraud was so sophisticated that the victims were receiving seemingly authentic fixed deposit certificates whenever deposits were made. They were also receiving their accrued dividends regularly via the authorized channels.
Neither the bank nor the victims suspected any foul play throughout the period the fraud lasted, investigators further disclosed.
NewsmakersNG also learnt that one of the victims lost over N80 million, while another lost over N50 million to the fraud.
One of the affected customers has reportedly dragged the bank to court in a bid to recover his money, insisting that the bank was entirely liable for the loss of his investment.
NewsmakersNG commenced investigations into the crime following a Wanted Person notice published by the Lagos State Police Command based on the petition it received from the bank.
Here’s the content of the published notice:
“ODUBANJO THERESA ‘F’
“The Lagos State Police Command has declared the above named person wanted in connection with a case of Conspiracy and Stealing of a large sum of money from the bank where she worked.
“That the said person was residing formerly at No. 12, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaiya Street, GRA Extension, lkeja, Lagos. She is 43 years old, 1.6ft tall, light in complexion, speaks Yoruba, English and Pidgin English language fluently, from Ogun State.
“She has defrauded various customers of the bank to the tune of Five Hundred and Fifteen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty-Eight Thousand, Four Hundred and Seventy-Three Naira, Fifty-Five Kobo (N515,848,473.55), in which Odubanjo Theresa ‘F’ is yet to be arrested in spite of massive efforts by the Police of this Department which has proved abortive.
“Anyone who knows her whereabouts should contact the Police Department, Lagos State Police Command or the nearest Police Station or call: 07063115303 or 08037 229179, 090900003792.
“Signed: LAGOS STATE POLICE COMMAND.”
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