Abuja Court Grants N1 Billion Bail to 109 Foreign Hackers
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to 109 foreign nationals accused of cybercrimes. Justice Ekerete Akpan ruled on the matter, imposing stringent bail conditions, including the submission of five sureties and a combined bail sum of ₦1 billion.
The defendants face six charges linked to cybercrimes and hacking activities allegedly conducted in Katampe, Abuja, earlier this year. Defence counsel James Onoja, SAN, emphasized adherence to due process, stating that the defendants’ travel documents had been surrendered to ensure compliance with the bail terms. “We have submitted all travel documents and proposed five reliable guarantors for each defendant to monitor their appearances during trial,” Onoja explained.
The court also mandated that the sureties must own landed property in Abuja and submit recent passport photographs. The bail application was unopposed by prosecution counsel A.A. Egwu.
For defendants represented by counsel Eric Oba, Justice Akpan also approved a separate bail application, directing that male defendants be remanded at Kuje Prison in Abuja and female defendants at Keffi Prison, Nasarawa, pending bail conditions’ fulfillment. The trial was adjourned to February 27, 2025.
The bail ruling occurs against a backdrop of increasing cybercrime in Nigeria. Recent data from the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) revealed that Nigerian banks lost ₦53.4 billion to hackers within the first nine months of 2024, a staggering 468% rise compared to the same period in 2023.
The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, noted during a cybercrime summit that $500 million was lost to cybercrime in Nigeria this year alone. Globally, projections estimate losses could reach $10.5 trillion annually, underscoring the growing threat of cybercrime.
The rise in cybercrime cases remains a significant challenge for financial institutions and law enforcement agencies, as experts and stakeholders advocate for more robust cybersecurity measures to mitigate the impact.
