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Document Exposes How Wema Bank Officials Offered Policeman Bribe To Stop Investigation On N1.7billion Money Laundering, Fraud

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3 years ago

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A report by the Nigeria Police Force has exposed how Wema Bank Plc offered bribe to the police officer investigating the N1.7billion illegally moved to account number 0122367964 domiciled in the financial institution and operated by one Isaac Adewole, a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God by top officials of the bank.

The Wema Bank staff members fingered in the fraudulent activities are the bank’s Executive Director, Wole Akinleye; Head of Cooperate Banking, Emmanuel Edah, and Head of Oil and Gas, Kingsley Ananwude.

The report signed by the Commander of Area G, Lagos, ACP Ibrahim Zungura, said multiple fraudulent transactions were carried out through the account.

“The culpability of WEMA Bank officers was further confirmed when the officers tried to bribe investigating officers with large envelopes that contained money.

“The officers declined the bribes but the Bank persisted. The officials spent time begging and persuading the inestigating officers to drop the case. The Executive Director of the Bank, Mr Wole Akinleye, was also invited and he tried hard to derail and stop the investigation. He also wrote a letter to ask that he be exonerated from the case when it was clearly established that the bank could not explain the transactions, that the movement of funds was a form of stealing from the bank which is sometimes referred to as ‘pay off source’.

“This is shown by the facts that the funds deposited were not removed in that order or in the sums deposited but carefully removed in different tranches as it is shown on the account statements. For his own part, Mr Adewole refused to cooperate with he investigations but instead did everything he could to assist the bank in covering up,” the report exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters read.

Meanwhile, the police has charged one Ojo Oladipupo, Chief Security Officer of Wema Bank Plc, to court for attempted bribery.


He was accused of offering a policeman, ASP Jonathan Egwemi (A/P No: 143699), monetary reward in order to stop him from carrying out a detail investigation into the fraudulent and money laundering activities of the bank.

“That you Ojo Oladipupo “M” and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did intentionally attempt to offer the station officer A/P No: 143699 ASP Jonathan Egwemi monetary reward in order to reframe him from carrying out a detail investigation into the fraudulent and money laundering activities of your organization i.e WEMA Bank Nigeria Plc and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 64 of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria,” one of the charges read.

SaharaReporters had reported how N1.7billion were fraudulently moved to account number 0122367964, domiciled in the financial institution and operated by Adewole.

Multiple sources familiar with the fraud said Adewole, who is also the Managing Director of Shibawells Energy Limited, approached the bank in 2018 for a loan to boost his oil trading business using his neighbour’s assets as collateral.

Granting the loan to the pastor, the financial institution opened an account for him where the money was paid.

The account was, however, used to illegally move N1.7billion from the bank in 2021 to multiple accounts operated by top staff members and their proxies.

“He used his neighbour’s house for collateral of the loan which was granted to him and promised to return it within six months. But three years after, the man approached him for his house document, that was when he told him of the fraudulent act. He said the bank paid N1.7billion into the account using different multinational companies like Dana Airlines, Caverton Helicopter and two others, one N300million, one N270million, one N600million and like that, it’s only one of the transactions that they didn’t put a name there,” a policeman involved in the case had told SaharaReporters.

“Guess what they do after, they now moved that N1.7billion from Adewole’s account into different bank accounts in tranches. Like the one I told you —N600million, they immediately put it in another account in form of N150million, N100million, N100million, N90million. The pastor’s account is known as Shibawells Energy Limited. The one for Dana that they moved N160million to, that was how they did it too, they immediately sent it to another account in smaller units as well.

“So the pastor approached the bank instead of the police. The top management staff involved called him and asked him what he wanted, they now ended with an agreement that the bank would give him an extra loan of N1.5billion and he agreed. Remember I told you this man is the Managing Director of Shibawells Energy Limited, a company that does supply aviation fuel. So we realised it was well planned and the names of Dana, Caverton and others were intentionally used to cover up the fraud so people won’t notice. We also realised in our investigation that this money was given to the banks by the CBN and these top officials had to use an account to move it out and use it for something else.

“He has a partner, we called him and realised he wasn’t aware of the transaction. He was shocked, he realised the statement presented to him was forged to hide the fraudulent transaction.”

According to Adewole’s statement of account obtained by SaharaReporters, on January 28 2021 via transaction ID No: M35660, he received the sum of N424,811,000 from Caverton, N160,000,000 from Dana and N630,000,000 from Beam Energy, all with the same transaction number.

On June 18, 2021 via transaction ID No: M104031, the pastor received the sum of N300,000,000 via NIP transfer from an undisclosed account source.

Also on same June 18, 2021, via transaction ID No: M104031, Adewole received the sum of N270,000,000 from Messrs Morrifoil Oil and Gas Ltd., all totalling N1,784,811,000.

When contacted, a source at Dana Air said the airline didn’t do any transaction with Adewole nor his company, Shibawells Energy Limited.

“If I tell you we aren’t aware of this case, then I’m lying, the police some time ago invited us and we were surprised that the company’s name was used for such a fraudulent transaction. It will be wrong for me to share our bank statement with you but such a transaction wasn’t authorised by us,” a source at Dana Air told SaharaReporters.

“We weren’t involved in such a deal, only the bank management can tell you why they use Dana’s name for the transaction. Go to the bank tomorrow and send money to anyone and use Dana as the sender they won’t stop you from doing that. Jokes apart, if we have that kind of amount, my brother, we don’t have any problem,” the source added.

In January 2022, a group, Transparency Nigeria Group, asked the Central Bank of Nigeria to dismiss the Chief Executive Officer of Wema Bank, Ademola Ademise, over alleged fraud.

The group in a statement by Dahiru Mohammed, its Communications Director, alleged that Ademise had grossly abused his office as CEO of the bank and contravened several extant regulations of the CBN.

According to the group, Wema Bank, under Ademise’s watch, covered up a massive fraudulent scheme perpetrated by companies and proxies of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.

Calling for his immediate removal, TNG said, “In doing this, Mr Ademise failed in his fiduciary duties and allowed a powerful politician to use Wema Bank as a clearing house for laundered funds.”

The group referred to a story dated November 23, 2020 by Peoples Gazette where bank records showed that Ocean Trust Limited, a company linked to Tinubu, shuffled billions of naira between its accounts with Wema Bank.

The newspaper documented the transaction between January and June 2019 on how Ocean Trust summarily moved N16.4billion from its operations accounts into a fixed deposit account all domiciled in Wema Bank.

This was after the court case involving Dayo Apara, a former Managing Director of Alpha Beta, a company partially owned by Tinubu.

Ocean Trust was specifically mentioned in Apara’s court documents as one of the firms allegedly used to siphon funds from Alpha-Beta, the controversial Lagos tax contractor.

According to the report, Alpha Beta has received billions of naira from the Lagos treasury since Tinubu was governor.

Apara claimed the firm received N150billion in the past 15 years from Lagos.

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AIR PEACE ADDRESSES IN-FLIGHT THEFT INCIDENT ON FLIGHT P47190

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18 hours ago

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February 22, 2025

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We confirm an incident of in-flight theft onboard Flight P47190 on February 19, 2025. The airline reiterates its unwavering commitment to passenger safety and security and has taken decisive action in response to the situation.

During the flight, a passenger was found in possession of a missing item following a thorough search conducted upon landing at Port Harcourt International Airport (PHC). The suspect was subsequently handed over to the airport police for further investigation and necessary action.

Air Peace is deeply concerned by the rising trend of in-flight thefts observed in recent weeks. To curb this menace, the airline is implementing enhanced surveillance measures onboard its flights. Cabin crew members have been advised to heighten their vigilance throughout the journey, and in-flight announcements will be intensified to sensitize passengers on the importance of securing their belongings and reporting any suspicious activities immediately.

Furthermore, the airline is taking a firm stance against such criminal acts by recommending the blacklisting of the identified suspect, reinforcing its zero-tolerance policy for any misconduct that compromises the safety and comfort of passengers.

Air Peace remains committed to delivering a safe, secure, and world-class travel experience for all passengers. The airline urges the public to cooperate with its security protocols and report any suspicious behaviour to ensure a seamless and enjoyable journey for everyone.

 

 

SIGNED

Dr. Ejike Ndiulo

Head, Corporate Communications

Air Peace Limited

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Court orders final forfeiture of Emefiele’s $4.7m, N830m, properties

Published

2 days ago

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February 21, 2025

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A federal high court in Lagos has ordered the permanent forfeiture of $4.7 million, N830 million, and properties linked to Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

 

Yellim Bogoro, the presiding judge, granted the final forfeiture application brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a judgement delivered on Friday.

 

The funds, now forfeited to the federal government, were held in First Bank, Titan Trust Bank, and Zenith Bank accounts managed by individuals and entities including Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd, and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.

 

 

Properties affected by the interim forfeiture include 94 units of an 11-floor building under construction at 2 Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos; AM Plaza, an 11-floor office space on Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos; Imore Industrial Park 1 on Esa Street, Imoore Land, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos; Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse (Furniture Plant at Bogije) near Elemoro, Owolomi Village, Ibeju-Lekki LGA, Lagos; and two properties purchased from Chevron Nigeria, located in Lakes Estate, Lekki, Lagos.

 

 

Additional properties include a plot at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Foreshore Estate, Eti-Osa, LGA; an estate at 100 Cottonwood Coppel Texas Drive, Coppel, Texas, owned by Lipam Investment Services; land at 1 Bunmi Owulude Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; and a property at 8 Bayo Kuku Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

 

Justice Bogoro held that all these properties and funds are proceeds of unlawful activities which are bound to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

 

 

The judge held: “I find that the activities of the respondents here were unlawful. Why should they have a problem of dollars immediately Godwin Emefiele left CBN as a governor of the Bank and salary could not be made?

 

“I hold that they are not legitimate business activities.

 

“I hold that Anita Omoile is a close crony of the former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele who has been given undue influence to unlawfully sway dollars from CBN.

 

 

Consequently, I find that all the monies and properties in the schedule are finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

 

The EFCC through its counsel Rotimi Oyedepo SAN had cited Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution in its application, seeking an interim forfeiture on the grounds that the funds and properties were suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

 

Justice Bogoro, finding merit in the EFCC’s application, ordered the interim forfeiture and mandated the publication of the order in a national newspaper.

 

 

Following the failure of the defendants or anyone else to prove that the funds legitimately belonged to them, the judge then made the interim order permanent.

 

Today’s order is another testament to the EFCC’s commendable assets recovery and anti-corruption efforts under its Executive Chairman Mr Ola Olukoyede.

 

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Halt campaign against NNPC’s progress

Published

4 days ago

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February 19, 2025

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By: Emmanuel Akanni

 

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has again been the target of a deliberate misinformation campaign aimed at tarnishing its reputation and undermining the remarkable strides it has made recently.

 

 

After failing to discredit the accomplishments of the Mele Kyari-led management—most notably the revitalisation of the 60,000-barrel-per-day Port Harcourt Refinery, which had been non-operational for over 30 years, and the successful restreaming of the Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company on December 30, 2024—critics have turned to spreading false claims about the quality of fuel supplied by NNPC Ltd.

 

In a recent viral video, a content creator claimed to have bought a litre of Dangote petrol from the MRS filling station in Lagos at N925 and another litre of PMS from an NNPC station at N945. The video showed two new generators running the fuel, and according to him, the generator running the NNPCL fuel stopped after 17 minutes, while the Dangote petrol lasted for 33 minutes.

 

 

Of course, the controversial video was sponsored to damage the reputation of NNPC Ltd, having recorded major milestones under Kyari. The video, which was done in bad faith, portrayed the NNPC Ltd. as a supplier of substandard fuel, an allegation too weighty to be overlooked.

 

Dismissing the claims, Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer at the NNPC Ltd., said, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd strongly refutes the false and misleading allegations made in a viral video circulating online, which claims that NNPC fuel does not last. This assertion is baseless and entirely unfounded, originating from unverified and amateur research that lacks credibility, accuracy, and professional oversight.”

 

 

The NNPC Ltd reaffirmed that its fuel was carefully formulated with one of the best compositions, ensuring optimal efficiency, durability, and environmental sustainability for consumers.

 

 

“Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that a significant percentage of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) sold at NNPC retail stations in Lagos—where this deceptive video was created—is sourced from the Dangote Refinery, a strategic partner in promoting local production and energy security. Dangote Refinery adheres to strict industry standards, guaranteeing the quality of petroleum products supplied to our consumers,” NNPC Ltd. added.

 

According to Soneye, the misleading video was another desperate attempt by economic saboteurs to misinform the public and tarnish NNPC Ltd’s reputation.

 

 

Vowing that the NNPC would no longer tolerate malicious and deliberate misinformation designed to undermine its operations and mislead Nigerians, the company warned of dire legal consequences for the merchants of misinformation and campaigners of calumny against it.

 

 

“Henceforth, NNPC Ltd will take firm legal action against individuals or groups who intentionally spread falsehoods about our brand and operations. Those engaged in such malicious activities will be held fully accountable under the law,” Soneye added.

 

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), after thorough testing, condemned the amateurish video and submitted that the fuel supplied by NNPC  Ltd. meets the highest industry standards.

 

 

“We urge content creators not to joke with sensitive matters that can collapse the economy,” said Billy Gillis-Harry, the PETROAN president.

 

The viral video lacks scientific proof, inappropriate, offensive and unethical. The content creator should have opted for laboratory analysis and not a social media stunt aimed at discrediting a particular brand against the other. It was a bad comparative and combative advertising dangerous to both brands.

 

The sustained campaign to demarket the NNPC Ltd started after the company, under Kyari’s sound leadership, reopened the Old Port Harcourt Refinery on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, apparently to the disappointment of forces against the revival of the country’s four refineries.

 

Attempts by sceptics to rubbish the achievement recorded with the Port Harcourt refinery were roundly repudiated by the NNPCL, workers at the refinery, experts, and delegates from the Presidency, Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers. However, traducers will stop at nothing to carry out their nefarious agenda.

 

Let it be known that those fabricating lies to destroy NNPC’s reputation are fighting a lost war. Nobody can demarket a company that is doing well and consistently breaking new ground. From what was believed to be a cesspool of corruption to an organisation guided by sound management, transparency and corporate governance, Kyari and his team are doing a good job. The NNPC Ltd remains steadfast in its mission to ensure fuel availability, affordability, and quality for all Nigerians while maintaining global industry standards.

 

Of course, the coming of the $23 billion Dangote Refinery has changed the Nigerian downstream landscape igniting competition and a recent price war; such development is welcome and the expectation is that demand and supply forces would continue to drive the market. It is, however, important to keep the competition healthy and virile. No need to demarket one another. The downstream market should be a level playing field for all.

 

Recall that Kyari played a pivotal role in supporting the Dangote Refinery by securing a $1 billion loan backed by NNPC’s crude reserves. The strategic move not only addressed liquidity challenges but also ensured the successful completion of Dangote Refinery.

 

This, according to NNPC Ltd., underscores Kyari’s commitment to fostering public-private partnerships that deliver long-term value to the nation.

 

The NNPCL boss was said to have considered the investment in the Dangote Refinery as a strategic move aimed at strengthening domestic fuel supply.

 

“A strategic decision to secure a $1 billion loan backed by NNPC’s crude was instrumental in supporting the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery during liquidity challenges, paving the way for the establishment of Nigeria’s first private refinery. This initiative underscores NNPC’s dedication to fostering public-private partnerships that drive national development,” Soneye, the NNPC spokesman, had said at a recent Energy Relations Stakeholder Engagement in Abuja.

 

The Kyari-must-go campaigners have also joined the smear campaign against NNPC Ltd., sponsoring opinion pieces and media publications in an attempt to undermine the company’s progress. However, no amount of negative rhetoric can diminish the achievements NNPC Ltd. has made under Kyari’s leadership.

 

Apart from the refineries, NNPC Ltd. under Kyari declared N3.297 trillion profit for the 2023 financial year, the highest in its 46-year history and an increase of over N700 billion (28%) when compared to the 2022 profit of N2.548 trillion. This, of course, has been credited to the stringent financial management strategies deployed by Kyari and his team.

 

In 2021, NNPC declared profit in its operations for the first time.  From a loss position of N803 billion in 2018, it reduced the loss further down to N1.7 billion in 2019.

 

However, in 2020, it posted its ‘first-ever’ profit of N287 billion, then in 2021, it recorded an N674.1 billion profit and in 2022, the profit grew to N2.548, an unprecedented achievement in its financial performance. In a company where profitability was like an anathema, Kyari has bucked the trend and changed the narrative by posting profit year-on-year.

 

Efforts to discredit NNPC Ltd. are futile in the face of the company’s impressive performance. While constructive criticism is welcomed, malicious campaigns to harm the company’s reputation are unacceptable. NNPC Ltd. should continue to fight against such attacks and stand firm in its commitment to serving the nation.

 

Emmanuel Akanni, an energy analyst, writes from Lagos.

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