The Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos State, has arrested a 39-year-old trader, Okonkwo Nwachukwu, for allegedly opening multiple accounts with Zenith Bank, under different identities. The police said the action was meant to defraud financial institutions and unsuspecting members of the public. A statement by the SFU Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Isintume-Agu, said the SFU Commissioner of Police had received a petition from the bank on February 12, 2014.
It reads in part, “The petition alleged that Nwachukwu had appeared at the Amuwo Odofin branch of Zenith Bank to open a savings account and presented an already completed savings account opening package with the name, Obiozor Ifeanyi, and identified himself as such with a National Identity Card. “While the Customer Service office was checking the documents, Nwachukwu allegedly went to the Marketing Unit and collected another savings account opening package and completed same with another name, Ogueji Nnamdi.
He allegedly returned to the Customer Service Desk and presented same for account opening with another National Identity Card bearing Ogueji Nnamdi. Nwachukwu’s attempt to open another savings account within minutes with another identity was said to have aroused the suspicion of the Customer Service Officer. Upon searching the bank’s system with Nwachukwu’s phone number, the customer service officer was said to have discovered that he already possessed about 25 savings accounts at various branches under different names.
The statement added, “It was further alleged that Nwachukwu also operated a corporate account with number 1012000129, belonging to Chukon Integrated Limited, and he also identified himself as Okonkwo Nwachukwu when he opened the said account.“A native of Okija Ihiala LGA of Anambra State, Nwachukwu is into cargo business and owns an office at Block 4, Shop 169 A.P.T. Market Trade Fair, Lagos.”
Nwachukwu explained that the multiple accounts he opened was to enable him run his business successfully. He claimed that the cashless policy of the CBN did not permit him to withdraw a huge sum of money in one account and as such, he was advised to open multiple accounts to spread his money. He added that he had N50,000 each in 15 different accounts, while the remaining ones had N20,000, N10,000 and N5,000 respectively.
Nwachukwu also said the National Identity Card and PHCN bills were forged by one Pepper who was at large. The suspect came back from China on January 27, 2014 and started the multiple account opening from February 5, to 7, 2014 when he was apprehended. SFU Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zubairu Muazu, commended the management of Zenith Bank for their discovery and advised other banks to be at alert to such scammers “who work as a syndicate to defraud members of the public.
“Investigation is ongoing to unravel more about the suspect’s motive behind the multiple account opening,” Isintume-Agu added.