In the petition sent to the presidency and copied to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, the petitioner, Arc James Onyemenam, through his lawyers, I.G Ogugua, accused the IGP of forgery and stealing.
A copy of the petition in my possession says Egbetokun is allegedly shielding suspects from prosecution in the case of fraud and financial exploitation which investigation has been conducted and concluded by the police.
In the letter dated January 29th, 2025, a legal practitioner, I. G. Ogugua & Co. submitted the petition to the President on behalf of his client, Arc. James Onyemenam (MNIA) the majority shareholder and MD/CEO of Woods Resources Limited.
Ogugua in the petition, posited that his client entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with one Mr. Whoba Ogo in 2006, where he acquired 55% stake, thus making him the majority shareholder, MD/CEO of Woods Resources Limited, the company which secured a concession to construct 3700 shops and 150 apartments at the former Mammy Market of the Ikeja Cantonment, Oshodi, Lagos. By virtue of the JVA, Arc James Onyemenam also became signatory A to all the company’s bank accounts and instruments.
He said a dispute later arose over the control of the company and after much disputations, the parties approached an Arbitral Panel presided by Mr A. B. Mahmood (SAN) FCIArb and the Federal High Court, Lagos Division (Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1232/2011 ), where his client, Mr. James Onyemenam, emerged victorious, both at the Arbitral Panel and the Federal High Court.
The accused persons, Mr. Victor Ukutt and Mr. Whoba Ogo, the petition further disclosed, were found liable of forgery and connivance with Fidelity Bank PLC of stealing over N36 billion! While one Safiya Whoba, a staff member of Fidelity Bank, has since absconded to the USA to evade prosecution following a petition to the EFCC in 2021 in respect to the case.
The petitioner stated that in order to obstruct the course of justice, Mr. Victor Ukutt and Mr. Whoba Ogo escalated the matter to the CID of the Nigerian Police Force.
The lawyer explained that following a cross petition to the IGP on 18th May 2023, the matter was thereafter referred to the Force Intelligence Bureau, where, to his client’s surprise, the matter was treated with dispatch by the team led by AIG Abduyari Lafia and the investigation concluded professionally and in record time.
He stated that as the suspects were about to be charged to court in line with the huge evidence stacked against them, Egbetokun invoked his powers as IGP to transfer the case to FCID under DIG Sylvester Abiodun Alabi, now retired, and that AIG Abduyari Lafia and the team which dispassionately handled the matter be investigated on a most ridiculous allegation made by the suspects.
The petitioner wrote that even at that, the “DIG Alabi investigated the case and exonerated the investigating team led by AIG Abduyari Lafia and recommended the prosecution of the suspects.
He added however that “The IGP refused to prosecute the suspects. The client then complained to the office of the Attorney General, who had written to the IGP repeatedly requesting the case file in order to proceed with prosecution, but the IGP has refused to remit the case file to the office of the Attorney General.
“Based on this deliberate protection provided to the suspects, our client is left with no other choice but to conclude that the IGP’s actions of taking over the case from the team that was doing so well are to protect the suspects from prosecution,” petitioner stated.
In conclusion, the lawyer made the following submissions:
“It is on the weight of this blatant abuse of office and attempt to thwart the course of justice by the IGP who swore to protect the sanctity of our laws, ensuring public order and enforcement of all laws of the country, that we are appealing to the President, Commander in Chief to call him to order and ensure that the suspects are prosecuted and all stolen monies belonging to the company and Mr. James Onyemenam be recovered and that our client should be granted unfettered access to the Ikeja Cantonment Shopping Complex, otherwise known as ‘the Arena, in compliance with the FHC judgement and arbital award
