The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) are shocked by news of their account with the AGIB Bank being withdrawn through an unauthorised transaction by unknown persons.

Pierre Silver, The Public Relation Officer (PRO) of NAWEC confirmed the accuracy of the fraudulent activity by a swindler, who successfully cashed out D15.5 Million, funds purely  accumulated from the cash power sales. The account affected is  the NAWEC’s cash power account with AGIB Bank, he stated that , the act is carried out without the authority of NAWEC. He added that the impersonator has forged the stamp of NAWEC, AGIB Bank as well as the signature of the signatories to the account.

According to the PRO, this was noticed around the 10th of March when the treasury manager was doing her routine check on the institution’s accounts with various banks within the country. According to him she realised that their account with AGIB has been  hacked which resulted in huge sums being taken  away through fraudulent channels.

He added that the money cashed out has been transferred to four banks in the country, which are Zenith Bank, Mega Bank, Eco Bank and Blunk Bank respectively. He added that AGIB Bank stated that they have received an instruction through an email from an individual who claimed to be the treasury manager of NAWEC, instructing the transaction for this payment to a local supplier from this account.

The PRO stressed that, NAWEC never authorises their payment through email but by written instruction on a hard copy which is usually delivered by drivers of NAWEC for banks to effect the payment.

He said the police have opened a probe into the matter and are awaiting its outcome.

 

By Alkali Cham