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Tag: Alagbon

  • How Catholic Knight ‘swindled’ man of N92m

    A Catholic Knight, Paulson Ogbonna has been arrested by the anti-fraud unit of the Federal Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Alagbon, Ikoyi for allegedly defrauding a young businessman of N92million.

    Ogbonna, a Knight of St. John and parishioner at St. Timothy Parish in Ojudu Berger in Lagos, allegedly presented himself as a senior army officer who could assist his victim, a winer, recover about N77million owed him by his clients.

    After swindling his victim identified as Francis Obinna of some millions as money for court processes with the help of a member of his syndicate he said was a lawyer; Ogbonna deceived the young man that he would give him contract to supply wines at all Army Officers’ Mess in Nigeria.

    The suspect also lured the victim into a supposed importation of building materials with promises to provide links of military topnotch who will award juicy contracts to him.

    According to Police Commissioner Nkem Okoro who paraded the suspect before reporters, Ogbonna used all available avenues to milk the victim of his money.

    Okoro said: “The victim had supplied products to some of his clients worth N77million and it was difficult recovering the money.

    “After several failed attempts over a period, a man who identified himself as a Brigadier-General in the Nigerian Army offered to assist him with the recovery and also get him registered with big companies, but ended up making various monetary demands until the victim could bear it no more.

    “We had the suspect arrested and got court remand order to detain him. We are investigating the matter and have invited his wife as well as the woman who introduced him to the victim.

    “His wife was invited because she’s a signatory to one of the accounts the victim paid money to and also a director of the company.

    “We have also written the army and established he was an impostor. We want to be sure that it is not a syndicate and want to establish if there are financial transactions from the accounts the victim paid money into to yhe woman who linked them up. If there are, we will trace dates and investigate reasons.”

    Read Also: Abuse of ethical standards negatively impacting banking industry – NDIC

    The police boss warned those engaged in fraudulent practices to desist or face prosecution.

    He said: “Those who engage in fraud-related activities must watch out. Those who hack accounts, intercept letters, emails from personal and corporate domains; those who are changing account numbers and addresses should stop forthwith or be arrested. We have the wherewithal to trace and track persons who are into these criminalities.”

    Narrating his ordeal, Obinna said he made payments into Best Way Construction Company, Paulson Okechukwu Ogbonna, Icarl International Ventures, Peesab Energy Resources Limited, Lazarus Maduforu, Peesab International Investment Limited and other individuals at the instance of the suspect.

    Obinna said most of the payments were made through mobile transfers noting that the suspect usually objected and directed he went or sent someone to the banking hall to deposit the money.

    “I knew him as a Colonel. It was Madam Chika, my client that introduced him to me. Months after I knew him, he said he has been promoted Brig-Gen. and we celebrated it. I even bought things and took to his house for the celebration. I never knew he was fake.

    “When we called him, he fixed a meeting at Bonny Camp but while we were on our way to Victoria Island, he called and said he had doctor’s appointment at Ikeja and that we should meet there instead.

    “We met and he told me that as an army officer, he won’t be able to help recover a loan for me. He said he was a lawyer as well and that he would introduce me to a barrister friend of his and they will work together. Then, he told me to give them a list of all those owing me, thr amount, their addresses and contacts, which I did.

    “I did not suspect anything bad. In fact, I believed him especially because one of those very hostile customers, who have threatened me with a gun when I went to demand for my money started calling me to plead for time. Other debtors were also pleading for time that my lawyer came to them with officer.

    “That was how I believed the man and I was just doing anything he said. From there, he started telling me how he will give me links to be supplying all the Mess in Nigeria drinks. Some people dressed in military camouflage used to come and load drinks and they will give me cheque.

    “The whole thing was so real. He kept demanding money and I kept sending. I became suspicious when I started demanding for the contracts or imported goods and he was posting me. I went to Bonny Camp to look for him and I was told there was no such officer. I also started asking some friends to help me make findings and it became clear that I have been duped.

    “It is just so difficult to run to people for help in Nigeria. If a 58-year-old man who is old enough to be my father can defraud me, I do not know if there is any hope for Nigeria. He has children. He has a wife; he has a community, and he is a Knight in the Catholic Church. Still he defrauds people, even his parishioners. I am neck deep into debt. He has crippled my business and ruined my life.”

    But Ogbonna denied defrauding the victim claiming that he only tried to assist him with his business, register him as a contractor and help him obtain a license.

    He denied ever representing himself as an army officer, adding that he was a Civil Servant at the Ministry of Defence, Moloney Street and was in the Department of Estate Management as a Senior Technical Officer.

  • Prophet defrauds widow of N18m

    A 56-year-old Celestial Church prophet Peter Onanuju has been arrested by the anti-fraud command of the Federal Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Alagbon for alleged N18million fraud.

    Ononuju, a resident of 41, Jubril Martins Street, Lawanson in Surulere was paraded on Tuesday by Police Commissioner Nkem Okoro at the FCIID, Alagbon, Ikoyi.

    He was said to have collected the money from a widow, Oluchi Dillion in the guise of acquiring a plot of land for her son at Ibeju-Lekki.

    According to the victim, the incident occurred in April last year but she realised she had been duped when the suspect started threatening to wipe off her entire family.

    She said it was at the point of demanding for documents of the land that she discovered it belonged to the suspect’s ex-wife.

    She said: “I have known him for over 30 years. He was my lover then. He used to sleep in my father’s house when we were young. I gave him the money in trust and I never knew he could do this to me.

    “As a man of God, I confided in him that I need to buy a property and he told me he knew someone that has one. He told me he had seen the one of N12 million and he said I should not pay him the money through the bank. I paid the first N2million into his account and then he said his account was bad that I should not pay in there again.

    “I paid him the money onn installments. He collected N12 million for the land and N6 million for Governor’s consent. I later discovered that the land in question belongs to the prophet’s ex-wife who has remarried and was based in the United States with her husband.

    “My son discovered her contact from her Facebook and when we contacted her, she told us that she was not selling.

    In fact she rained abuses on us. When the prophet realized that the game was up, he started threatening to kill us. That was why I ran to the police. He told me that he can defend himself but we cannot.”

    Okoro said: “When the lady discovered the fraud, she reported to my office and I detailed detectives to go after the prophet and he was promptly arrested.

    “During investigation detectives discovered that the suspect collected N16 million cash and N2million into his bank account. This goes to show the suspect had another intention.

    “He is currently in court remand in our custody. We are still investigating this case and at the end of the process, the suspect would be charged to court.

    “I use this medium to warn fraudulent minded people, organisations to change their ways or face the wrath. People should also be wary of those who claim to be pastors when transacting business because they tend to cash into gullible nature of true believers to swindle them.

    “The so called prophet took advantage of the relationship he has with the widow to swindle her. From the beginning he had the intention of defrauding the woman.

    “He started threatening to kill the woman and her children when they discovered that he had swindled them,” said Okoro.

    But the suspect denied defrauding the widow insisting that he had genuine business deal with her, adding that problem broke out when one of the woman’s sons demanded for a refund.

    Ononuju, who said he did not need Power of Attorney to sell his ex-wife’s property, claimed that she was aware he sold it.

    He however refused to mention her name nor provide her contact details for verification of his claims.

    Ononuju said: “I acted as a middle man. She came to me to say that I should help look for a land. Because of the existing relationship between the two families, I went all out to ensure that I get her a good land but look at where it has landed me.“

  • Prophet ‘defrauds’ widow of N18m

    … threatens to out wipe family

     

    A 56-year-old Celestial Church prophet Peter Onanuju has been arrested by the anti-fraud command of the Federal Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Alagbon for alleged N18million fraud.

    Ononuju, a resident of 41, Jubril Martins Street, Lawanson in Surulere was paraded Tuesday by Police Commissioner Nkem Okoro at the FCIID, Alagbon, Ikoyi.

    He was said to have collected the money from a widow, Oluchi Dillion in the guise of acquiring a plot of land for her son at Ibeju-Lekki.

    Read Also:N1.6bn Fraud: ‘I was asked to implicate Jonathan’s ex-aide’

    According to the victim, the incident occurred in April last year but she realised she had been duped when the suspect started threatening to wipe off her entire family.

    She said it was at the point of demanding for documents of the land that she discovered it belonged to the suspect’s ex-wife.

    She said: “I have known him for over 30 years. He was my lover then. He used to sleep in my father’s house when we were young. I gave him the money in trust and I never knew he could do this to me.

    “As a man of God, I in confided him that I need to buy a property and he told me he knew someone that has one. He told me he had seen the one of N12 million and he said I should not pay him the money through the bank. I paid the first N2million into his account and then he said his account was bad that I should not pay in there again.

    “I paid him the money in instalments. He collected N12 million for the land and N6 million for Governor’s consent. I later discovered that the land in question belongs to the prophet’s ex-wife who has remarried and was based in the United States with her husband.

    “My son discovered her contact from her Facebook and when we contacted her, she told us that she was not selling. In fact she rained abuses on us. When the prophet realized that the game was up, he started threatening to kill us. That was why I ran to the police. He told me that he fan defend himself but we cannot.”

    Okoro said: “When the lady discovered the fraud, she reported to my office and I detailed detectives to go after the prophet and he was promptly arrested.

    “During investigation detectives discovered that the suspect collected N16 million cash and N2million into his bank account. This goes to show the suspect had another intention.

    “He is currently on court remand in our custody. We are still investigating this case and at the end of the process, the suspect would be charged to court.

    “I use this medium to warn fraudulent minded people, organisations to change their ways or face the wrath. People should also be wary of those who claim to be pastors when transacting business because they tend to cash into gullible nature of true believers to swindle them.

    “The so called prophet took advantage of the relationship he has with the widow to swindle her. From the beginning he had the intention of defrauding the woman.

    “He started threatening to kill the woman and her children when they discovered that he had swindled them,” said Okoro.

    But the suspect denied defrauding the widow insisting that he had genuine business deal with her, adding that problem broke out when one of the woman’s sons demanded for a refund.

    Ononuju, who said he did not need Power of Attorney to sell his ex-wife’s property, claimed that she was aware he sold it.

    He however refused to mention her name nor provide her contact details for verification of his claims.

    Ononuju said: “I acted as a middle man. She came to me to say that I should help look for a land. Because of the existing relationship between the two families, I went all out to ensure that I get her a good land but look at where it has landed me.”

  • Police to use forensic input, intelligence to tackle fraud

    …As CP Okoro issues red alert to financial instituions, others

     

    The police have concluded plans to deploy forensic imputs, intelligence skills and in-depth investigation to combat fraud and other financial crimes.

    This was disclosed by Nkem Okoro, the Police Commissioner in-charge of the Anti-Fraud, Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Alagbon .

    Okoro stated this during an interaction with reporters in Lagos, acknowledging that the Inspector-General of Police (IG) Ibrahim Idris has promised to give needed muscle to reduce fraud to an insignificant level in the country.

    Read Also:Police deny assassination attempt on Dino Melaye, summon him

    He said: “We are going to strengthen the Anti-Fraud department, reposition it to the best in combating all manner of cyber fraud, 419 and other related cases in line with the vision of the IG as well as the anti-corruption war of the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
    “We are there to actualise this dream. In doing so, we have a template to tackle this issue of fraud that has affected the financial and economic state of the nation.

    “We would employ international best practices, forensic input, modern day intelligence gathering approaches, technology driven investigative methods, to tackle complicated, multifaceted cyber fraud, among others, which have painted the country in bad light internationally. My boss, the IG is not happy about this and has found me worthy to head the section to bring out necessary changes.

    “I hereby warn corporate bodies, banks, oil companies, other financial institutions, such as the Stock Exchange, Federal and state government agencies, embassies, maritime operators, Bureau De Change (BDC) operators, educational institutions, NGOs, real estate/land speculators involved in fraudulent deals, service providers such as network providers, hospitality, health sectors and all those involved in insiders’ trading or any form of fraud to desist or face the full wrath of the law.

    “Our investigations would be so thorough to ensure we have smooth prosecution and gain convictions. There would be no sacred cows in this fight against corruption and fraud.”

    Continuing, Okoro said he would not spare 419ners both local and international ones, noting that their actions were embarrassing and damaging the good image of the country.

    “We shall tackle them. As for cyber-crime fraudsters, I have a special place in my heart for them. They should pray they are not because I would also deal with those who aide, abate, encourage or benefit in their loot.

    “I would investigate the activities of fraudulent foreigners, who connived with some crooks in the system to defraud, short change and evade tax payments or any other legal charges that should go to government coffers. They would be arraigned in court if found culpable.

    “It is criminal for foreigners to come here and clean our vault dry through fraudulent channels. Foreigners and their Nigerian collaborators who find joy in short changing the government are warned. Most of them are here doing money laundering and round tripping. They must play by the rules. It is no longer business as usual.

    “Let persons who engage in sharp fraudulent practices start having a rethink. We would go after them. The IG has said it many times that these menaces have taken us back and cannot continue. We must collectively tackle them.

    “Those who cause financial setback to fellow Nigerians, the nation’s economy would be in trouble with the new rebranded, repositioned, refocused, re-engineered and reinvented Anti-Fraud section under my watch.

    “I enjoin all Nigerians to key into this fight against fraud, fraudsters and other form of criminality, as to salvage our dear country. The initiative of the IG to inject professionalism of the force in the area of checkmating these vices through the reorganised Anti-Fraud section would bring in the needed result in our financial systems and transactions.

    “The IG is bent on ensuring zero tolerance to fraud in Nigeria and within the force and will do everything possible in ensuring that the war is won.”

  • ‘God told me to build a church on someone’s land’

    ‘God told me to build a church on someone’s land’

     The Federal Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos on Tuesday brought a Christian cleric, Felix Moses, before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court for allegedly building on someone’s land.
    Moses, pastor of Capernaum Christian Ministry located at 34/36, Tijani Ashogbon Street, Bariga, was docked on a one-count charge of unlawful encroachment on a property.
    According to the police, Moses built the church in 2016 on land owned by the complainant, Mr. Toyin Omonijo.
    Prosecuting counsel Henry Obiazi, a Superintendent, said the defendant built his church on the land without the complainant’s permission.
    According to the prosecutor, Moses told the police that “God Almighty directed him to build a church on the land.”
    Read Also: Man burgles church, steals TV, others

     Obiazi said the offence contravened Section 4(5) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
    Moses pleaded not guilty.
    Chief Magistrate O.O Oshin granted him N250,000 bail with one surety in the like sum.
    She remanded the defendant in Ikoyi Prison till he fulfills the bail conditions.
    The case continues on March 27.
  • Teebee returns with new banger, ‘Alagbon’

    Teebee returns with new banger, ‘Alagbon’

    Following his 2009 release of the track, ‘Gbadun U Die’, budding Afropop artiste, Abiodun Akinpelu, aka Teebee, has returned with a new song titled ‘Alagbon’.

    Described as a feel good tune, the artiste says that ‘Alagbon’ is a track that is out to create a necessary escape for music lovers, especially given all the chaos that has been taking place in our beloved country.

    “Alagbon is an area in Lagos and the song has nothing to do with the popular police station. I urge my fans to listen to the song so that they can get the gist of what it is about. There is a message in it for everyone. Alagbon is that track that will have you forgetting your troubles and gyrating in no time,” he said.

    On his decision to stay off the scene for a while, the singer said that it was to enable him pursue other endeavours.

    “The break was necessary because there was no way I could chase two things at a time. So at some point I had to focus on my studies and my national service,” he added.

    Teebee is a Biochemistry graduate who started producing music during his undergraduate days at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Ogbomoso.

    A native of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria born July 19, 1991, Teebee is a sensational Afropop Artiste.

    He describes music as a hobby from childhood and says that it’s something he finds difficult doing without.

  • Ajah, Lekki, Alagbon face three-hour outage

    •Ekedc apologises for ‘prolonged blackout’

    There will be a three-hour power outage in Lekki, Ajah and part of Alagbon in Lagos on Thursday, Eko Electric Distribution Company (EKEDC) said yesterday just as it apologised for the “prolonged outage” in its domain.

    The firm’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Godwin Idemudia, said in a statement, that the planned outage would enable its maintenance crew to replace the weak aluminium conductor down dropper between the line and capacitor voltage transformer at Ajah T.S.

    He said the company had been briefed by Mr Mustapha Raji, an engineer from Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Ajah Sub-Region.

    “Kindly note that on Thursday between 10am and 1pm, there will be an outage on 330kV Egbin – Aja Line 3.

    “This is to enable maintenance crew to replace the weak aluminium conductor down dropper between the line and the capacitor voltage transformer at Aja T.S.

    “With this outage, Aja, Lekki and part of Alagbon T.S. will be affected.

    “EKEDC highly regrets any inconvenience caused by this three-hour outage, “ Idemudia said.

    Apologising for putting customers in darkness, Idemudia, in another statement, blamed the shortage on drastic reduction in the amount of electricity coming to EKEDC from the national grid.

    According to the statement, the company could only distribute what was allocated to it from the national grid.

    “We are, therefore, appealing to all our customers to bear with us as we try to ration whatever power is given to us in the interim.

    “EKEDC highly regrets any inconveniences caused by this prolonged blackout, though most of our consumers are affected by this outage but some areas are deeply affected.

    “Areas deeply affected by the drop in generation are Ikoyi, Park View Estate, Victoria Island, Awolowo Road, Obalende, Idumagbo, Lagos Island, Oniru and Lekki areas,” the statement said.

    The statement said the outage had led to vandalism of cables and transformers by unscrupulous elements.

    It appealed to consumers within the network to be vigilant to stem the spate of cable theft and transformers vandalism.

    “We also want to use this opportunity to appeal to our customers to be vigilant over our equipment as vandals may capitalise on the outage to carry out their evil act,” it stated.