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₦2.9 Billion Customer Funds: Customers report frozen accounts over illegal transfers from Flutterwave.. ( + Documents)

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2 years ago

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On Sunday, payments fintech Flutterwave denied a report that hackers stole ₦2.9 billion of customer funds. In its response to the story, Flutterwave said it noticed unusual activities in its systems and told users to activate safety protocols. But it insisted that customers did not lose any funds.

However, several sources revealed a different story. One of those sources told this publication that his company lost ₦8 million. Three other sources said their accounts were frozen for being beneficiaries of illegal transfers from Flutterwave accounts.

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On March 3, 2023, Alex Onyia tweeted about a hack at Flutterwave. Part of his tweet said, “Flutterwave has been hacked by Omar Edewor Trades, who has an account in Access Bank, and several millions of naira have been stolen from people’s [Flutterwave] accounts.” He advised everyone to get a new API key—one of the safety precautions that Flutterwave asked its users to take two days later.

Onyia is the CEO of Educare, a school management software provider that integrates Flutterwave and Paystack payment technologies into their software for educational institutions and other businesses. On a call with TechCabal, Onyia maintained that money was fraudulently transferred out of the Flutterwave accounts of his clients
through API calls.

He said, “On Thursday, March 2, 2023, I got a message from my account manager at Flutterwave asking if we authorised some transactions. I looked into the matter and was already blaming my dev team. I thought they introduced something new or a backdoor that was triggering the debit. After further investigation, I discovered that
there was no problem with my company and that there was a compromise in Flutterwave’s system.”

Onyia claimed that the hacker moved ₦4,990,000 out of the client’s Flutterwave account first and ₦3,360,000 moments later. “They even initiated a third debit for
₦3,360,000, but the balance wasn’t up to that, so it didn’t materialise,” he said.

Following the money trail
Onyia said that he called Access Bank, where the money had been transferred into an account named Omar Edewor Trades. “We called the bank, but we were told that the
money had been moved to another bank. After sharing the necessary documents, including information about the illegal transaction on Flutterwave, I asked Access Bank to
freeze the account.” According to Onyia, while the bank was investigating, it noticed that a lot of money was flowing into that account and immediately froze the
account.

“We asked the bank to send us back our money since there was money in the account and proof that about ₦8 million moved from our account to the fraudster’s. The bank
refused, saying that they had no right to, as based on the transaction trail, our money has been moved to a different account.” TechCabal could not verify that the
Access Bank account was frozen at the time of this report.

Onyia said that on March 3, Flutterwave asked customers to activate IP whitelisting, a security measure that was previously optional and asked everyone to change their
API keys. “If you know your system was not compromised, why are they asking everyone to take all these measures?”

Flutterwave’s response
Flutterwave answers this question in its official statement, saying, “During a routine check of our transaction monitoring system, we identified an unusual trend of
transactions on some users’ profiles. Our team immediately launched a review (in line with our standard operating procedure), which revealed that some users who had
not activated some of our recommended security settings might have been susceptible.” However, the fintech flatly denied that any user lost any funds, as its security
measures were “able to address the issue before any harm could be done to our users”.

But court documents seen by TechCabal raise questions about Flutterwave’s version of events. Those documents include certified true copies of a petition by
Fluttewave’s legal counsel to the police dated February 20, 2023. The letter asked for police assistance to recover funds by obtaining court orders from the magistrate
court to sustain account freezes on 107 bank accounts in 27 banks that allegedly, directly or indirectly, received money from the illegal transfers from Flutterwave accounts.

Some of the frozen accounts
Ajeka Iliasu Opaluwa, owner of Pajek Signature, a cryptocurrency trading business, is listed in court documents as a first beneficiary of the illegal transfer from
Flutterwave accounts. A first beneficiary is an account that received a transfer directly from a Flutterwave account. On a call with TechCabal, Opaluwa said, “I sold
USDT worth ₦1.6 billion to William Atong Chen, a Chinese merchant who has been a customer since 2019. When we first transacted five years ago, my partner met him in
Lagos to complete KYC (know your customer). The transactions started on February 5, 2023, and I got paid, just like all the others I have had with him. It was on
February 7, 2023, after the trade had been concluded, that the bank froze my account.”

Opaluwa told Chen that the bank had frozen his account. “I asked him to come to the bank and help me resolve the issue, but he said he was no longer in Nigeria. His
Nigerian numbers are still reachable, and when I call him to recount my plight, he insists that he made the transaction in good faith and that it was not stolen money
he sent to me,” Opaluwa said on the call.

Opaluwa insists that the Chinese customer’s name is William Atong Chen, however, the only Chinese name found on Flutterwave’s court document listing bank accounts to
be frozen is Quiang Chen. Opaluwa shared evidence of the transaction with TechCabal. “I made the transaction lawfully. I sourced USDT, and when I saw evidence that I
had been paid, I handed them over. Three days later, somebody comes to tell me that the money I was paid was stolen. Was I supposed to take it to a digital money
detector? How could I have known the money was stolen?” he asked on the call. He told TechCabal that he has filed a petition against Flutterwave as he is also a
victim.

The accounts of other crypto traders who received payments for crypto assets from Opaluwa were also frozen. David Ofedu Audu, whose five bank accounts are listed on
Fluterwave’s petition for account freezing, is one of them. Audu told TechCabal that his transactions with Opaluwa started on February 5 and ended on February 7. The
day after, February 8, his five accounts were frozen.

He also shared an email from StanbicIBTC Bank confirming that his accounts were frozen because of the illegal transfers from Flutterwave accounts. His account manager
at Providus Bank, where his accounts were also frozen, cited the same reason for the freeze, on a call.

“I am a second beneficiary because the person who paid me received the money directly from Flutterwave. Opaluwa bought USDT from me for a Chinese customer called
Chen,” Audu said on the call. In the court documents, Chen’s account is listed as one of the accounts frozen for receiving funds from the impacted Flutterwave
accounts.

TechCabal also spoke to sources whose accounts were blocked but who claimed they had no dealings whatsoever with Flutterwave. Henry Awaka, one such person, told
TechCabal that his Fidelity Bank account was frozen around the same period. He told TechCabal, “I sent several emails to Fidelity Bank but got no response.”

He remained in the dark until his friend, who was a second beneficiary, saw his name in the court documents and told him about it. According to the document, Awaka’s
Fidelity bank account is a fourth beneficiary and received ₦1,199,291 from an account named Nnam Monday Kingsley at Providus Bank. Awaka said that he traced the
transaction and discovered that it was from a bulk sale of alcoholic drinks—350 crates of Trophy and 27 crates of Budweiser alcoholic drinks.

Awaka is a sales manager at an international brewery and he claimed he makes these sorts of transactions regularly. He didn’t suspect that he had become a beneficiary
of some of the N2.9 billion illegally transferred from Flutterwave accounts. He has since emailed his bank several times with the receipt of his transaction but has
received no response. “Fidelity Bank is so complacent about the matter,” he said. According to him, there are about 180 people in a Whatsapp group whose accounts have
been frozen after making one legitimate transaction with someone who received money that came from the Flutterwave account.

 

Source: The Tech Cabal

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AIR PEACE ADDRESSES IN-FLIGHT THEFT INCIDENT ON FLIGHT P47190

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1 day ago

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February 22, 2025

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We confirm an incident of in-flight theft onboard Flight P47190 on February 19, 2025. The airline reiterates its unwavering commitment to passenger safety and security and has taken decisive action in response to the situation.

During the flight, a passenger was found in possession of a missing item following a thorough search conducted upon landing at Port Harcourt International Airport (PHC). The suspect was subsequently handed over to the airport police for further investigation and necessary action.

Air Peace is deeply concerned by the rising trend of in-flight thefts observed in recent weeks. To curb this menace, the airline is implementing enhanced surveillance measures onboard its flights. Cabin crew members have been advised to heighten their vigilance throughout the journey, and in-flight announcements will be intensified to sensitize passengers on the importance of securing their belongings and reporting any suspicious activities immediately.

Furthermore, the airline is taking a firm stance against such criminal acts by recommending the blacklisting of the identified suspect, reinforcing its zero-tolerance policy for any misconduct that compromises the safety and comfort of passengers.

Air Peace remains committed to delivering a safe, secure, and world-class travel experience for all passengers. The airline urges the public to cooperate with its security protocols and report any suspicious behaviour to ensure a seamless and enjoyable journey for everyone.

 

 

SIGNED

Dr. Ejike Ndiulo

Head, Corporate Communications

Air Peace Limited

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Court orders final forfeiture of Emefiele’s $4.7m, N830m, properties

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2 days ago

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February 21, 2025

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A federal high court in Lagos has ordered the permanent forfeiture of $4.7 million, N830 million, and properties linked to Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

 

Yellim Bogoro, the presiding judge, granted the final forfeiture application brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a judgement delivered on Friday.

 

The funds, now forfeited to the federal government, were held in First Bank, Titan Trust Bank, and Zenith Bank accounts managed by individuals and entities including Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd, and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.

 

 

Properties affected by the interim forfeiture include 94 units of an 11-floor building under construction at 2 Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos; AM Plaza, an 11-floor office space on Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos; Imore Industrial Park 1 on Esa Street, Imoore Land, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos; Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse (Furniture Plant at Bogije) near Elemoro, Owolomi Village, Ibeju-Lekki LGA, Lagos; and two properties purchased from Chevron Nigeria, located in Lakes Estate, Lekki, Lagos.

 

 

Additional properties include a plot at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Foreshore Estate, Eti-Osa, LGA; an estate at 100 Cottonwood Coppel Texas Drive, Coppel, Texas, owned by Lipam Investment Services; land at 1 Bunmi Owulude Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; and a property at 8 Bayo Kuku Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

 

Justice Bogoro held that all these properties and funds are proceeds of unlawful activities which are bound to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

 

 

The judge held: “I find that the activities of the respondents here were unlawful. Why should they have a problem of dollars immediately Godwin Emefiele left CBN as a governor of the Bank and salary could not be made?

 

“I hold that they are not legitimate business activities.

 

“I hold that Anita Omoile is a close crony of the former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele who has been given undue influence to unlawfully sway dollars from CBN.

 

 

Consequently, I find that all the monies and properties in the schedule are finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

 

The EFCC through its counsel Rotimi Oyedepo SAN had cited Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution in its application, seeking an interim forfeiture on the grounds that the funds and properties were suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

 

Justice Bogoro, finding merit in the EFCC’s application, ordered the interim forfeiture and mandated the publication of the order in a national newspaper.

 

 

Following the failure of the defendants or anyone else to prove that the funds legitimately belonged to them, the judge then made the interim order permanent.

 

Today’s order is another testament to the EFCC’s commendable assets recovery and anti-corruption efforts under its Executive Chairman Mr Ola Olukoyede.

 

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News and Report

Halt campaign against NNPC’s progress

Published

4 days ago

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February 19, 2025

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By: Emmanuel Akanni

 

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has again been the target of a deliberate misinformation campaign aimed at tarnishing its reputation and undermining the remarkable strides it has made recently.

 

 

After failing to discredit the accomplishments of the Mele Kyari-led management—most notably the revitalisation of the 60,000-barrel-per-day Port Harcourt Refinery, which had been non-operational for over 30 years, and the successful restreaming of the Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company on December 30, 2024—critics have turned to spreading false claims about the quality of fuel supplied by NNPC Ltd.

 

In a recent viral video, a content creator claimed to have bought a litre of Dangote petrol from the MRS filling station in Lagos at N925 and another litre of PMS from an NNPC station at N945. The video showed two new generators running the fuel, and according to him, the generator running the NNPCL fuel stopped after 17 minutes, while the Dangote petrol lasted for 33 minutes.

 

 

Of course, the controversial video was sponsored to damage the reputation of NNPC Ltd, having recorded major milestones under Kyari. The video, which was done in bad faith, portrayed the NNPC Ltd. as a supplier of substandard fuel, an allegation too weighty to be overlooked.

 

Dismissing the claims, Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer at the NNPC Ltd., said, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd strongly refutes the false and misleading allegations made in a viral video circulating online, which claims that NNPC fuel does not last. This assertion is baseless and entirely unfounded, originating from unverified and amateur research that lacks credibility, accuracy, and professional oversight.”

 

 

The NNPC Ltd reaffirmed that its fuel was carefully formulated with one of the best compositions, ensuring optimal efficiency, durability, and environmental sustainability for consumers.

 

 

“Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that a significant percentage of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) sold at NNPC retail stations in Lagos—where this deceptive video was created—is sourced from the Dangote Refinery, a strategic partner in promoting local production and energy security. Dangote Refinery adheres to strict industry standards, guaranteeing the quality of petroleum products supplied to our consumers,” NNPC Ltd. added.

 

According to Soneye, the misleading video was another desperate attempt by economic saboteurs to misinform the public and tarnish NNPC Ltd’s reputation.

 

 

Vowing that the NNPC would no longer tolerate malicious and deliberate misinformation designed to undermine its operations and mislead Nigerians, the company warned of dire legal consequences for the merchants of misinformation and campaigners of calumny against it.

 

 

“Henceforth, NNPC Ltd will take firm legal action against individuals or groups who intentionally spread falsehoods about our brand and operations. Those engaged in such malicious activities will be held fully accountable under the law,” Soneye added.

 

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), after thorough testing, condemned the amateurish video and submitted that the fuel supplied by NNPC  Ltd. meets the highest industry standards.

 

 

“We urge content creators not to joke with sensitive matters that can collapse the economy,” said Billy Gillis-Harry, the PETROAN president.

 

The viral video lacks scientific proof, inappropriate, offensive and unethical. The content creator should have opted for laboratory analysis and not a social media stunt aimed at discrediting a particular brand against the other. It was a bad comparative and combative advertising dangerous to both brands.

 

The sustained campaign to demarket the NNPC Ltd started after the company, under Kyari’s sound leadership, reopened the Old Port Harcourt Refinery on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, apparently to the disappointment of forces against the revival of the country’s four refineries.

 

Attempts by sceptics to rubbish the achievement recorded with the Port Harcourt refinery were roundly repudiated by the NNPCL, workers at the refinery, experts, and delegates from the Presidency, Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers. However, traducers will stop at nothing to carry out their nefarious agenda.

 

Let it be known that those fabricating lies to destroy NNPC’s reputation are fighting a lost war. Nobody can demarket a company that is doing well and consistently breaking new ground. From what was believed to be a cesspool of corruption to an organisation guided by sound management, transparency and corporate governance, Kyari and his team are doing a good job. The NNPC Ltd remains steadfast in its mission to ensure fuel availability, affordability, and quality for all Nigerians while maintaining global industry standards.

 

Of course, the coming of the $23 billion Dangote Refinery has changed the Nigerian downstream landscape igniting competition and a recent price war; such development is welcome and the expectation is that demand and supply forces would continue to drive the market. It is, however, important to keep the competition healthy and virile. No need to demarket one another. The downstream market should be a level playing field for all.

 

Recall that Kyari played a pivotal role in supporting the Dangote Refinery by securing a $1 billion loan backed by NNPC’s crude reserves. The strategic move not only addressed liquidity challenges but also ensured the successful completion of Dangote Refinery.

 

This, according to NNPC Ltd., underscores Kyari’s commitment to fostering public-private partnerships that deliver long-term value to the nation.

 

The NNPCL boss was said to have considered the investment in the Dangote Refinery as a strategic move aimed at strengthening domestic fuel supply.

 

“A strategic decision to secure a $1 billion loan backed by NNPC’s crude was instrumental in supporting the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery during liquidity challenges, paving the way for the establishment of Nigeria’s first private refinery. This initiative underscores NNPC’s dedication to fostering public-private partnerships that drive national development,” Soneye, the NNPC spokesman, had said at a recent Energy Relations Stakeholder Engagement in Abuja.

 

The Kyari-must-go campaigners have also joined the smear campaign against NNPC Ltd., sponsoring opinion pieces and media publications in an attempt to undermine the company’s progress. However, no amount of negative rhetoric can diminish the achievements NNPC Ltd. has made under Kyari’s leadership.

 

Apart from the refineries, NNPC Ltd. under Kyari declared N3.297 trillion profit for the 2023 financial year, the highest in its 46-year history and an increase of over N700 billion (28%) when compared to the 2022 profit of N2.548 trillion. This, of course, has been credited to the stringent financial management strategies deployed by Kyari and his team.

 

In 2021, NNPC declared profit in its operations for the first time.  From a loss position of N803 billion in 2018, it reduced the loss further down to N1.7 billion in 2019.

 

However, in 2020, it posted its ‘first-ever’ profit of N287 billion, then in 2021, it recorded an N674.1 billion profit and in 2022, the profit grew to N2.548, an unprecedented achievement in its financial performance. In a company where profitability was like an anathema, Kyari has bucked the trend and changed the narrative by posting profit year-on-year.

 

Efforts to discredit NNPC Ltd. are futile in the face of the company’s impressive performance. While constructive criticism is welcomed, malicious campaigns to harm the company’s reputation are unacceptable. NNPC Ltd. should continue to fight against such attacks and stand firm in its commitment to serving the nation.

 

Emmanuel Akanni, an energy analyst, writes from Lagos.

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