The Kwara State Police Command has arrested seven suspects who allegedly specialise in defrauding banks through the internet.

They are Salihu Oladimeji Lukman, Suleiman Ishaq Jimba, Abdukadir Agboola, Yahaya Abdulazeez Olanrewaju, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Oba Abdulkadir, Idris Bolaji and Ibrahim Suleiman Olayinka.

The suspected fraudsters were alleged to have fraudulently withdrawn the sum of N1.8 million from a new generation bank along Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ilorin.

Their arrest was sequel to a petition by Abdulmalik Lawan, the Internal Control Group Officer of the bank on 31 July, 2012 to the Commissioner of Police, Kwara state command, accusing the suspects of defrauding the bank through the internet.

In the petition, the complainant alleged that each of the accused criminally conspired with three others yet to be identified to open an account with the bank and defrauded the bank to the tune of N1.8 million.

He further alleged that the suspects dubiously paid money into their account and later withdrew the money through the automated teller machine, ATM, Master Naira Card.

According to the Police First Information Report, FIR, on the matter, investigation conducted by the police at the State Intelligence Bureau, SIB, of the Command's Headquarters in Ilorin led to the recovery of the sum of N82,000 from the suspects alleged to be part of the stolen money.

The FIR added that further discreet investigations showed that the suspects are members of a syndicate of fraudsters whose main target are the banks, using various dubious means and tactics to perpetrate their criminal activities.

The accused, were arraigned before an Ilorin Magistrate's court on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, theft and obtaining money under false pretence, contrary to Sections 97(1) and 287 of Penal Code and 1(2) of advanced fee fraud and other related offences act, punishable under section 3 of fraud offence decree 1995.

They have been remanded at the Federal Prisons, Oke Kura in Ilorin, pending the outcome of police investigations, while the magistrate, Ibrahim Dasuke, adjourned the case till 14 August for further mention.