Two men attempts to dupe Ministry of N5.8m

The Police yesterday arraigned two men, Abianulia Ikenna and Joseph Ezejiegu, before an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court for allegedly attempting to defraud the Ministry of Aviation of N5.8 million.
Police prosecutor Jonathan Udochukwu said the fraud was reported to the police by Chioma Agbakwuru, an aide to the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah.Udochukwu said the accused
on Aug. 7 conspired and hacked into the minister’s cell phone and transmitted a message ordering Agbakwuru to release N5.8 million to the accused.
The prosecutor said the police advised the Ministry to play along and that this led to the arrest of the accused at the premises of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, but the accused denied the allegation.
Mr Adegoke Omoloja, counsel to the accused,
applied for bail for his clients, and Senior
Magistrate Josephine Obannor granted the
application.
She granted the bail to each of the accused in the sum of N500,000 with a surety each in like sum.
Omoloja said the sureties must not be less than grade level nine in the Federal Civil Service, and adjourned the matter to Sept. 20 for further hearing.