First City Monument Bank has done a patriotic duty flagging a suspected account after an inflow of $54,000 and then doubling down by reporting the account to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for investigation.
The bank’s exemplary role came to light in a court filing by the EFCC asking a Federal High Court in Lagos to order the permanent forfeiture of the money to the Federal Government.
Ruling has been fixed for 27 March 2020.
The $54,000 was found in the domiciliary account of a firm, Asej Global Services, operated by one Ojo Temitope Francis.
The anti-graft agency told Justice Muslim Hassan that the funds were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of cyber fraud.
In a 20-paragraph affidavit filed in support of the motion on notice, an investigative officer with the EFCC, Peter Chimdinma, said the anti-graft agency commenced action against Asej Global Services following a petition against the firm and Francis by First City Monument Bank.
FCMB, according to the investigator, reported the firm and Francis to the EFCC following an inflow of $54,000 into the firm’s account with number, 4445389020, domiciled in FCMB.
“The petitioner, First City Monument Bank, enquired about the nature of the funds and the account holder (Francis) claimed that they were from his friend and associate, George Edwards Cook, residing in the United States and that the funds were for the purchase of properties on behalf of the said friend and business associate.
