A credit officer of a microfinance bank in Ogun State, Esther Hamidu, has been arrested by the police after allegedly fleeing with customers’ contributions totaling N1.97m.

Hamidu was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on Friday, October 13, after a branch manager of the bank in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, reported the matter to the police.

According to a source in the Ogun State Police Command, Hamidu absconded with the daily contribution of the bank’s customers which spanned between March and December 2023.

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, confirmed Hamidu’s arrest. She said the suspect had confessed to the crime but could not explain what she did with the money.

“Yes, she has been arrested. She has been transferred from Ibadan, where she was arrested, to Ogun State. She has confessed to the crime. She could not explain what she did with the money,” Odutola told journalists.

Odutola said Hamidu had been transferred from Ibadan to Ogun State, where she would be charged to court.