DSS operatives foil attempt to steal N4.5b cash from FG

– DSS arrest three for attempted hacking

– The suspects attempted to steal N4.5 billion from TSA

– The plot was foiled by an undercover security agent

Officials of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) have arrested three persons for allegedly attempting to steal N4.5 billion from the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA).

The Nation reports that the foiled plot was made known in a statement issued by the agency’s spokesman, Tony Opuiyo.

The agency’s spokesman said the four-man syndicate attempted to hack into the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) domiciled in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) to transfer the said amount.

Opuiyo, who disclosed that the plot was thwarted by an undercover security agent, said: “The gang was led by one Sunny Okoh, a hacker who worked in collaboration with the trio of Uwem Udo Ekpo, a Chief Programme Analyst in the OAGF, Maxwell Ekene, a retired security operative and Dozie

Egwu, based in Malaysia and who is now at large.

“The suspected fraudsters intended to use a software they had sourced and codes released to them by Ekpo to hack government accounts in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and defraud the government of this huge sum.”

The DSS said the suspects have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and arraignment.

Opuiyo appealed to the citizens to always give useful information to the agency, saying: “Timely information is always helpful in uncovering criminals’ plans.”

As part of efforts to strengthen the ongoing war against corruption, the federal government introduced a Treasury Single Account (TSA) project. The project was geared towards setting up a unified structure of government bank accounts in a bid to ensure effective mechanism for dealing with corruption in cash management in ministries and agencies.

The initiative was championed by the Federal Ministry of Finance with the office of the accountant- general of the federation serving as the implementing agency, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).