The Federal Government has filed a lawsuit against Access Bank Plc and one of its employees over a serious fraud case. They are accused of stealing N825.9 million that belonged to the government. This case is now before the Federal High Court.

This legal action came after an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). Court documents reveal that Access Bank’s relationship manager in Sokoto, Abdulmalik Abubakar, is involved along with the bank itself.

The government claims that Mr. Abubakar and Access Bank worked together to commit crimes like money laundering and hiding stolen funds. They allegedly created a fake account called the “Internal Revenue Service Account” with account number 1873016763. This fake account was used to receive N825.9 million between May 2024 and January 2025.

The money was then hidden through this fake account, which was opened at Access Bank’s Sokoto branch. The court said this action breaks Nigeria’s laws on money laundering and corruption.

There are four charges against the accused. These charges include conspiracy, money laundering, and concealment of stolen money. The government also said the money was diverted without any approval and kept hidden, which is against the law.

According to a notice from May 2, the case was scheduled for hearing on May 19. If the court is busy on that day, the case will be postponed without any further notice. The hearing may take up to two days.

During the court hearing, both the government and the bank must provide all their evidence. This includes witnesses and documents. If they do not show their proof during the hearing, their evidence might not be accepted, or they could face penalties.

This case shows how seriously the government is fighting corruption and money laundering. It also warns banks and their staff to be careful and follow the law when handling public money.