A shocking security breach rocked the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) branch at Secretariat Road in Owerri, Imo State, after a suspected hacker reportedly hid overnight in the bank’s ceiling to gain access to its computer systems.
According to reports and viral footage circulating on social media, the unidentified man allegedly entered the bank on Tuesday during business hours, posing as a customer. He reportedly locked himself inside the restroom, climbed into the ceiling, and remained hidden until after closing hours.
Eyewitnesses say the bank’s staff discovered something was amiss the next morning when they found the main entrance door mysteriously locked from the inside. Upon breaking in, the suspect was found attempting to tamper with the bank’s systems. Screens on some computers reportedly displayed suspicious messages, including: “Restarting. Click OK to accept.”
The man was forcibly removed from the ceiling and subjected to a brutal assault by security operatives, a moment captured on video and widely shared online. The footage showed security personnel, including men believed to be police officers, kicking and stomping on the suspect’s head and chest while he was on the ground, sparking outrage on social media.
An X user, @Rarebred, condemned the violent response:
“Why are Nigerian police officers unprofessional? Look how they’re dressed! Beating the suspect, stomping on his head and chest. He might sustain internal bleeding and die even before investigation!”
Another user, @Tolu, wrote:
“He was caught on camera, and still got brutalised by the police. Nigerian banks and police? Same demons, different dress codes. One wears suits, the other guns.”
Reacting to the video, Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, described the officers’ conduct as unacceptable and said the matter would be investigated.
“Unprofessional conduct. Too bad. Many indecent acts were spotted in the video. We will look into it holistically,” he posted on X, tagging the Complaint Response Unit (CRU) of the Nigeria Police Force.
The FCMB has not issued an official statement as of the time of filing this report.
The attempted breach has raised serious concerns over bank security and protocol lapses, with many Nigerians questioning how the suspect was able to remain undetected overnight within a supposedly secured facility. Authorities are expected to provide further updates as investigations continue.
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