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Tag: businessman

  • Businessman accuses bank of N5m fraud

    Businessman accuses bank of N5m fraud

    A BUSINESSMAN, Adebayo Popoola, has accused a micro-finance bank (MfB) of defrauding him of about N5million over a property.

    Popoola alleged that the bank sold a property which a customer used as collateral to him.

    He explained that after paying, he found that the date of expiration given to the customer had elapsed.

    Popoola noted that since the property, a bungalow, became enveloped in crisis, he asked the bank to refund his N5 million, but the it allegedly refused.

    He said instead of a refund, the bank sued him, the police and the owner of the property to court for alleged harassment and intimidation.

    Popoola believes that the bank’s game-plan is to frustrate him and delay payment of his money.

    Popoola said: “I bought a property from an agent, He told me that it was owned by a micro-finance bank. The bank initially asked for N10 million, but we finally settled for N6.5 million. The agent gave me an account number, which I paid the money into.

    “The agent and my lawyer asked me to pay N5million into the account and bring N1.5 million cash to the agent. After the payment, they gave me a survey plan and Deed of Assignment between the former owner and the person who bought the property from the former owner.”

    Popoola went home, believing that the deal was sealed. But a month later when he went with his brother to inspect the building, things went awry. He left his brother at the site and went for his lunch only to receive a call from him that there was trouble. He was still eating when his brother called that a woman brought police to the site to arrest him.

    Popoola ran to Ajeromi Police Station in Ajegunle, where he met one Mrs. Doris Mukoro, who presented herself as the owner of the property, accusing Popoola of trespassing and damaging her property.

    The case was transferred to Area B Apapa Police Command, but Popoola petitioned the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) in Ikoyi, for further investigation.

    The case was still under investigation when the bank went to court and got an order restraining the police from further investigation. But the police had recovered about N1.26 million for Popoola from the agent and the lawyer who shared the commission on the sale of the property.

    When the bank was contacted, one of its staff, who refused to disclose his name, said: “If our customer has a problem with us, let the customer come to us or seek redress in court.”

    SFU spokesperson Mrs. Ngozi Isintume-Agu, said the bank wrote a letter of consent and gave to Mrs. Mukoro’s mother to sign and the woman signed, unaware of what she was signing.

    Mrs. Mukoro, a cold room operator, said she borrowed N3.5 million in December 2012, adding that she used to remit N30, 000 every day to the bank, until she travelled.

    She said: “I travelled. When the bank insisted that I should continue paying every day, I went to a lawyer. He said I should look for developers. We went to the bank with the developer, but met a new manager.

    “I asked for the statement of account, so that I would know what to remit, but they refused to attend to us. My lawyer later gave me a letter to the branch office, but the staff there refused to collect the letter. This happened in May, 2013.

    “The loan was supposed to expire in September 2013, but the bank sold the property in May. My mother didn’t sign any letter of consent. She can’t even read and write. I’ve asked her severally, but she said she didn’t sign anything. I believe the document was forged.”

  • Businessman faces N2.2m fraud charge

    A 53-year-old businessman, Olugbenga Akobada, was on Monday charged before an Igbosere Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly defrauding a company of N2.2 million.

    The accused, whose residential address is unknown, is facing charges of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Idowu Osunbire, told the court that the accused and his accomplices still at large committed the offences sometime in June 2009.

    According to him, the accused obtained printing materials valued at N2.2 million from Teskol Ventures Ltd with a promise to pay within nine months.

    “The accused failed to pay for the items within the stipulated time and all efforts by the complainant to contact him were unsuccessful.’’

    Osunbire noted that the offences contravened Sections 285, 312 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 provides three years imprisonment for stealing, while Section 312 prescribes a 15-year jail term for obtaining money under false pretences.

    Section 409 stipulates a penalty of two years for conspiracy.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Adedayo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    She adjourned the case to May 12 for mention.

  • Businessman rescues abandoned roads in Anambra community

    Businessman rescues abandoned roads in Anambra community

    Umueri community in Anambra East Local Government Area was at the verge of collapse after it was repeatedly ravaged by erosion. Many communities in the area had been cut off from their neighbours as a result of the bad conditions of the roads, including the one that leads to the palace of the traditional ruler of the area, Igwe Nelson Okoye.

    In fact, there were fears of poor turn out by guests when preparations were being made for the final burial rites of the monarch in December, 2012 because of the damage erosion had inflicted on the roads. The monarch had died shortly after the communal war between two neighbouring communities in the area, Umuleri and Aguleri, in 2001. The fratricidal war claimed many lives and destroyed property worth billions of naira.

    But while a process was initiated for the rebuilding of the affected communities, the most serious crisis, according to 66-year-old Daniel Onuigbo, was the erosion problem that had persisted in the area. Some of the roads in the community had collapsed for more than 20 years without any help from any quarters. Consequently, they were abandoned by motorists, cyclists and even pedestrians.

    An indigene of the community, according to the 76-year-old widow of the monarch, Florence Okoye, came to the rescue of the community, but she said that residents were still clamouring for the attention of the government. Areas like Gabriel Road, Shell Road and Nenyi are all ravaged by erosion.

    Recalling the efforts that were made by her husband to draw the attention of the government to the conditions of the roads, Madam Okoye said: “There was nothing my late husband did not do to get the government to work on these roads, but all his efforts failed because it was at the time that anger pervaded the land because of war. Since then, some of the roads were abandoned until they were overgrown with weeds and we lived like refugees.

    “But today, God has touched one of our sons to remember his people. His name is Benneth Emeka. He lives in Port Harcourt. We have nothing to give him, only God can reward him. At least my late husband will now rest in peace.”

    Investigation conducted by our correspondent revealed that about three of the roads had been reconstructed by the said Benneth Emeka, the chief executive of New Idea, a construction firm based in Rivers, Abia and Imo states.

    He has finished the earth work on the three-kilometre road popularly called ‘Ring Road’ in the area, while Igwe Okoye Road, measuring about 350 metres, had been completed and tarred. Anambra governor, Mr. Peter Obi, is being expected to commission the road.

    For 64-year-old Samuel Emeka, it has been a long journey for the people of Umueri community, as most of the roads are not motorable. He said: “We thank God that the young man (Emeka) has decided that our community will look like others by giving us roads.

    Emeka, however, appealed to the government to tar the Ring Road whose earth work he had completed. He said: “I have done the earth work. I am appealing to our governor to come to our aid, especially on the Ring Road, by tarring it. Erosion has been the major source of worry in this area and I am constructing the roads because of the love I have for my people. We cannot wait for government to do everything for us. Before now, they were impassable, but we thank God for everything.”

  • Abuja property tussle: Businessman denies document forgery allegation

    The police have arraigned a businessman, Alhaji Lawal Abba, at a Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse, Abuja, for alleged fraud and forgery of documents of Plot 105, Aso Drive, Abuja.

    The documents were suspected to have stolen from one Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, said to be late.

    The arraignment followed a complaint of forgery of land documents made by Gusau, Inuwa Abdulkadir and Sunrise Resource Limited Abba.

    The complainants had also reported a case of alleged trespass and willful destruction by Abba.

    But the defendant, who was arraigned on June 18, denied the allegation and insisted he is the legitimate owner of the house.

    The police said the alleged crime was contrary to sections 319A, 177, 342, 364, 368 and 366 of the Penal Code.

    Abba was granted bail in the sum of N3million.

    He claimed he purchased the house known as Plot 105 Aso Drive Cadastral Zone A5, Maitama Abuja by virtue of Deed of Assignment and a Power of Attorney dated March 3, 2004.

    The property was said to be executed and donated to him by Messrs Rexparts International Nigeria Limited

    A dispute over the title of the land between one late Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau and Abdulkadir, a lawyer, on the one hand, and Rexparts International Limited, Mrs Perveen Akhter Ahmad and Abba on the other is pending before Court of Appeal Abuja division.

    While case is pending, the family of the late Gusau, allegedly without Abdulkadir’s knowledge and consent (as lawful Attorney over the property), sold the property to one Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar.

    Abubakar was said to have demolished the house, although he was allegedly told by Abba that the property is his (Abba’s) and that he and others were before the Court of Appeal Abuja over the house.

    Rexparts International and Abba, it was said, had been in possession of the property for over 30 years until January 15 when he was allegedly forcefully ejected and unlawfully dispossessed of the house by Abubakar with the aid of the police.

    However, Abba insists that Gusau sold the plot of land to Rexparts International, and having received the consideration, Gusau agreed and surrendered the certificate of occupancy and also signed a deed of assignment and Power of Attorney which was duly registered at the Abuja Land Registry since 2000.

    The police invited Abba in January over the allegation of a criminal complaint of forgery and fraud against him by Gusau and Abdulkadir, who was said to have later written the police denying any knowledge of the said complaint against Abba.

    Meanwhile, Abba, on his part, wrote a criminal complaint against Abubakar for “willful destruction” of his property, but the police is allegedly yet to deal with the complaint.

    When Abba received an invitation in writing from the police over the complaints, he was charged with fraud and forgery over title deeds of the property he claimed he purchased from Rexparts International.

    The court adjourned till July 3.

     

  • Abuja businessman held over huge arms discovery

    Abuja businessman held over huge arms discovery

    Security agents are holding an Abuja businessman in whose home a catche of arms has been found hidden in a bunker.

    Mustapha Fawaz is the co-owner of the popular Amigo Supermarket and Wonderland Amusement Park – both in Abuja.

    Security operatives named the three Lebanese suspects yesterday.

    The assorted firearms were neatly concealed inside coolers and packed inside a bunker in a bungalow on Gaya Road, Bompai, Kano.

    The cache of arms was linked to the terrorist group, Hezbollah.

    Hezbollah is a Shi’a Islamic militant group and political party based in Lebanon.

    The Commander of 3 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brig.–Gen. Ilyasu Abbah, who spoke to reporters at the site where the arms were discovered, named the suspects as: Abdallah Hassan Fadallah, Mustapher Fawaz and Abdullahi Tigani. They have been moved to Abuja for further investigation.

    The army chief recalled that one of the suspects, who he described as an Abuja businessman, was once arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport for undeclared $60,000 found on him. He was on his way to Lebanon.

    Brig.-Gen. Abba said the assorted weapons found in the home of the suspects were linked with the Lebanese-based Hezbollah.

    The suspects were quoted as saying that the weapons were meant to fight Israeli and Western interests in Nigeria.

    “Even if they were meant to fight Israeli and Western interests in the country as they claimed, are Nigerians not working in those organisations? “Gen. Abbah queried.

    He also noted that the building of a bunker inside a building to conceal weapons confirms the suspects’ ulterior motive. Bassey Etang, Director of State Security Service (SSS) in Kano, said: “We cannot say how long the weapons have been in the bunker. The rust you see is as a result of the conditions they have been exposed to, but they are still serviceable. Again, we cannot link them with Boko Haram, until the conclusion of investigation, but we suspect such group, like Hezbollah, can have links with Boko Haram.”

    Some of the items recovered from the bunker are: 17 AK 47 riffles, 11,433 bullets, 76 military grenades, one Rocket Propeller Grenade (RPG2), 21 RPG bombs, nine pistols and 103 PMT Slap – all concealed inside coolers.

    Narrating how the discovery was carried out, Gen. Abbah said: “On 28 May, a combined team of the JTF involving the NA of the 3 Brigade here in Kano and the Kano State DSS conducted a thorough search of this house located at No 3, Gaya Road, off Bompai Road, Kano belonging to one Abdul Hassan Taher Fadlalla, a Lebanese national who is currently out of the country.

    After a painstaking search of the premises, the search team uncovered an underground bunker in the master bedroom where a large quantity of assorted weapons of different types and calibre were recovered.

    “The bunker was specially constructed for this purpose. It is worth mentioning that the arms include anti-tank weapons, rocket propelled guns, anti-tank/anti-personnel mines, among other dangerous weapons. All the weapons and ammunition recovered were properly concealed with several layers of concrete and placed in coolers, drums and bags neatly wrapped.

    “These discoveries were not accidental, but the outcome of an ongoing robust counter terrorism investigation by the Department of State Security Services, Abuja in the past several months.

    “The investigation also confirms the existence of a Hezbollah Foreign terrorist cell in Nigeria. Consequently, the DSS on 16 May, 2013 arrested one Mustapha Fawaz, the co-owner of the popular Amigo Supermarket, as well as the Wonderland Amusement Park, all in Abuja.

    “Thus, his arrest and confession unveiled other members of the foreign terrorist network which led to the interception of one member of the syndicate named Abdullah Tahini, a Lebanese national, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport with undeclared amount of 60,000 United States dollars on him enroute Beirut. Thereafter on 26 May, 2013, one Talal Roda, also a Lebanese with Nigerian passport, was arrested in this same house.

    “All those arrested have confessed to have undergone Hezbollah terrorist training and further implicated one Fauzi Fawad, also a co-owner of Amigo Supermarket and Wonderland Amusement Park. However, the fellow is now at large. The arms and ammunition were targeted at facilities of Israel and Western interest in Nigeria. The security agencies are making frantic efforts to unveil the true situation. At the end of investigation, all those involved will be prosecuted.”

  • Businessman to NSA: save my life

    A businessman has alleged a threat to his life by the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba because he is resisting government take-over of his landed property in Asaba.

    New Millennium Investments Limited Chairman Dr. John Jideonwo also accused the state government of having vested interest by revoking the title to the land.

    Jideonwo called on the National Security Adviser (NSE), Alhaji Sambo Dasuki, to safe his life.

    But Aduba has said the petitioner is a blackmailer evading police arrest over his alleged criminal acts.

    Jideonwo, in a petition dated April 3, 2013, addressed to the NSA, stated that his company acquired the property located on River Niger Waterfront from UAC of Nigeria in 1998. The purchase of the property, according to him, was consummated by the issuance of both a Deed of Assignment and an irrevocable Power of Attorney by the UAC.

    Jideonwo said: “At the time of purchase too, UAC issued the sitting tenants – Asaba Sports Club – a notice to deliver vacant possession and my company followed with a quit notice. An appeal was made to me at that time to let them continue use of the Tennis courts and club house until I was ready to develop the property.

    “Sometime in 2005, I discovered that the Club had surreptitiously applied to the Ministry of Lands to allocate the said land to it but the Ministry responded by declaring that the ownership of the property was not in doubt and that they should dialogue with me if they want to continue to stay there.”

    Jideonwo alleged that a senior government official sponsored the incorporation of the Board of Trustees of Asaba, was made Grand Patron and donated N13 million to the club between 2010 and 2011. As a result of his patronage, members of the club have refused to deliver possession of the premises they are occupying as tenant, he said.

    “Sometime in 2011, they became emboldened to openly threaten my life if I ever came to the property. On November 5, last year, part of the club house building on the land was destroyed and the members turned around to claim that I was the one that destroyed it.”

    Two weeks after the destruction, the government official allegedly visited the site and openly assured the President of the Asaba Sports Club that he would revoke the title to the land.

    The petitioner pleaded with the NSA to consider the following actions taken by the police and the state government to actualise their plan: “On 14th August, 2012, the CP Delta sent policemen from Asaba to Lagos with an instruction that they should bring me back to Asaba by all means to face charges of “malicious damage” to property that belongs to me. The men did not come with a letter of invitation or warrant of arrest. This was the first hint that I got that they were indeed after my life. This attempt was stoutly resisted by all others around and we only left for Asaba the next day. I was released on August 16 and after eight days stay in Asaba, waiting to be charged, I was asked to go.

    “When I returned to Lagos, I petitioned the Inspector General of Police who then directed the IGP Monitoring Group to take over the case.

    The case was effectively transferred to Abuja. The CP Delta then stepped into it and using his influence as former DC (Ops) at Force Headquarters, got the case transferred back to Delta, which is totally unusual in view of the fact that our petition was against him.

    Strangely too, we have not been informed of this development. On March 22, Mr Aduba sent people to arrest my lawyer in the court premises in Asaba, a fairly reckless act; they then went to my surety (a 70-year old cousin with very frail health) and continued harassing him until he went into hiding.”

    Aduba has defended his integrity. He said: “Jideonwo has been running from pillar to post to evade arrest. The incident happened before I became Delta State Police Commissioner.”

    He alleged that Jideonwo demolished structures on a plot of land leased to UAC. He said Jideonwo carried out this act when the matter of ownership was still in court.

    “Already, the parties involved are in court over the disputed land. The demolition was illegal. He is not happy the way I handled the matter because I stood for the truth. The IGP has instructed that Jideonwo be charged to court. We have been looking for him to face charges.”

    “We want to declare him wanted. Both he and his lawyer have gone into hiding. They are nowhere to be found. Even the state government is not happy over this matter. He is a common criminal. He went to a former DIG and Police Service Commission, but all the people he ran to asked him to report to the police, and he has not done that yet,” Aduba said.

  • Court restrains IGP, others from arresting businessman over dispute with wife

    Court restrains IGP, others from arresting businessman over dispute with wife

    A Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko and two others from arresting, detaining and treating in a humiliating manner, a Lagos businessman, Ken Uche Oraka.

    Justice John Tsoso, in a ruling, also made a restraining order directed particularly at the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Force Headquarters, Abuja. The ruling was on a motion ex-parte filed by Oraka, the proprietor of Ken-Ashley Auto Shop, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos.

    The applicant had alleged, in his supporting affidavit, that his wife, Lizzy Oraka, had on several occasions, instigated men of the police to harass, arrest and detain him and sometime, compelled to do her bidding.

    Oraka averred that his constant unlawful arrest and detention resulted from a disagreement between him and his wife over the paternity of the last of their three children.

    He added that the alleged intimidation by the police was a ploy to frustrate his prosecution of a suit he filed against his wife at the Lagos High Court, in his effort to retrieve some of his assets he was compelled, while in police detention, to cede to his wife

    He told the court that unless the police was restrained, they would persist in their act of alleged unlawful breach of his right to freedom of movement before the final determination of his substantive fundamental rights enforcement suit pending before the court.

    Convinced that there was merit in the application, Justice Tsoho granted an order of interim injunction, restraining the IGP, CP, Lagos and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos from harassing, arresting and detaining Oraka at the instigation of Mrs Oraka in respect of all issues relating to the pending fundamantal rights enforcement suit.

    The judge particularly restrained the DCP, Force Headquarters, Abuja “from taking any step, including inviting, arresting or detaining the applicant in connection with the subject matter of this action and further directing all officers of the Nigeria Police to stay all actions in this respect.”

    Justice Tsoho held that the orders were made pursuant to Order IV, Rule 4 (iv) and (v) of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009. The orders are to subsist pending the determination of the main suit.

    Further hearing has been fixed for February 21.

    Named as defence in the substantive suit are his wife, the IGP, CP, Lagos and DCP, Panti, Lagos. He is seeking among others, an order declaring his arrest and detention on several instances, including on June 17, 2001; April 2 and March 1, 2012 as unlawful.

    Oraka, who is seeking N50million damages against the respondents, also wants an order restraining men of the Nigeria Police from further arresting and detaining him in respect of the allegation made against him by his wife and on which a magistrate’s court in Ebute-Metta, Lagos had adjudicated and discharged him.

    Mrs Oraka has denied all allegations made against her in Oraka’s application. She admitted being his wife and denied any disagreement over the paternity of any of their three children.

    She also denied instigating the police or any of its personnel to intimidate, arrest and detain her husband. She averred in a counter affidavit, that her husband was never compeled into ceding any of his property to her.

    Mrs Oraka stated that she co-owned the property with her husband from the date of acquisition as they were both convinced that as a happy family then, they needed not acquire property in their separate names.

    She stated that she only involved the police in their family feud when her husband allegedly threatened to kill her, using a gun.

     

  • Kano businessman convicted for money laundering

    •Court defers ruling till today

    A Federal High Court, sitting in Kano yesterday convicted Mallam Umar Musa Kibiya, a businessman, for money laundering in October, last year.

    After the accused pleaded guilty to the charges of attempting to launder $40,000 through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) to Cairo, the capital of Egypt, Justice Fatu Riman convicted him accordingly.

    But the judge reserved ruling till today.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Kibiya of attempting to smuggle out $80,000 from Nigeria to Cairo.

    The accused, the prosecution said, falsely declared $40,000, instead of $80,000, contrary to Section 2 (3) of the Money Laundering Act.

    Kibiya pleaded guilty to the charges.

    His counsel, M. Maiyaki, urged the court to impose a lighter punishment on his client, adding that Kibiya did not waste the court’s time before pleading guilty to the charges against him.

    Maiyaki said Kibiya is not only a first offender but also an honest businessman, who employed over 15 workers.

    The lawyer to the accused told the court, after Kibiya was convicted, that he is a family man with over 38 people depending and well as an extended family.

    He noted that a maximum punishment would have a negative affect on Kibiya’s business and dependants.

    Counsel to the EFCC, Aisha T. Ibrahim, said because of the accused pleading guilty, the court should convict him in accordance with the law of money laundering.

    She added that in accordance with the law, the accused must forfeit 25 per cent of the amount he did not declare and serve two years’ imprisonment or pay a fine.

     

  • Three held for killing Abia businessman

    The Abia State Police Command said it has arrested three suspects on the killing of a popular businessman, Chief Iroeke Ukaku, and the abduction of his two daughters last Friday at his Abiriba home in Ohafia Local Government.

    Addressing reporters in Umuahia, the state capital, Police Commissioner Ambrose Aisabor said the matter was not a kidnap but murder caused by revenge.

    He said: “It is a case of murder. This is because the scenario we saw and the things we met on ground showed that it is a revenge mission and not that of kidnap or murder, as people are speculating.”

    The police chief explained that on that fateful day, he got a report about 8.30pm from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area on the incident.

    Aisabor said he immediately deployed his men to the scene.

    According to him, preliminary investigation revealed that the late Ukaku, on December 24, reportedly hired a “Bakassi group” from Aba.

    The group allegedly arrested some boys in the community and extorted others.

    Aisabor said he got information that on the day Ukaku was allegedly murdered, his assailants had killed two Bakassi men at the gate to his home.

    The killers, he said, went upstairs where the businessman was relaxing.

    After several attempts to enter his room, by firing several shots at the bulletproof door, the assailants allegedly held his eight months grand-daughter.

    They alledgedly threatened to smash her head on the wall if the busienessman refused to come out, it was learnt.

    Ukaku reportedly offered himself following the threats.

    The police chief said the assailants killed him on the spot.

    Aisabor said from police investigation, no ransom has been demanded by the abductors of the two daughters of the late Ukaku.

    He added that investigation is still ongoing on the matter.

    “We shall let the public know what happened in the end,” Aisabor said.

  • EFCC arraigns businessman over alleged fraud

    A 47-year-old businessman, Ma’aru Usman, was on Tuesday arraigned before a Lagos High Court in Ikeja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over an alleged N19 million fraud.

    The defendant, who resides at No. 27, Adetan Adebayo St., Power Time Line, Somolu, Gbagada, Lagos, is facing a one-count charge of stealing by fraudulent conversion.

    Counsel to the EFCC, Mr. M.K. Bashiru, alleged that the accused had, in November 2011, in Lagos, fraudulently converted N19 million which was entrusted in his care to his personal use.

    Bashiru said the money was entrusted to the accused by one Alhaji Akeem Badiru.

    He said the offence contravened Section 285 (9) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

    Usman, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Judge, Lateefat Okunnu, ordered him to be remanded in prison pending the hearing of his bail application fixed for January 28.