A young man was on Wednesday caught in a bank in Nigeria’s south eastern state of Imo,after allegedly hiding overnight in the bank’s toilet in a bid to hack into its computer systems.
According to a widely circulated on-line video, the suspect, whose identity is yet to be confirmed, entered the bank during working hours posing as a regular customer.
The suspect reportedly locked himself inside the restroom, climbed into the ceiling space, and remained there until the bank closed.
The following morning, staff discovered the restroom door was locked from the inside.
Upon forcing it open, they found the man in the ceiling. When the system was turned on, it reportedly displayed the message: “Restarting. Click OK to accept.”
Security operatives were called in and the suspect was forcefully dragged out and physically assaulted — a scene that was recorded and has since gone viral, sparking public outrage.
While some social media users questioned the breach of security at the bank, many others condemned the use of force by police officers and security guards.
Critics described the physical assault, including stomping on the suspect’s head and chest, as excessive and unprofessional.
Reacting to the video, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, described the conduct of the officers as “unprofessional” and said the matter would be thoroughly investigated.
“Unprofessional conduct. Too bad. Many indecent acts were spotted in the video. We will look into it holistically,” Adejobi posted on X.
Officials of the First City Monumental Bank (FCMB), Owerri branch have not issued an official statement regarding the incident.