First Nation MD provided forged document for N1.7bn loan – Polaris Bank tells court

A prosecution witness, Mr Patrick Ogo, on Friday told an Ikeja
Special Offences Court that Kayode Odukoya, Managing Director,
First Nation Airways, secured a N1.7 billion loan from Skye Bank
with a forged document.

Ogo, a Legal Officer with Polaris Bank, formerly Skye Bank,
testified at the beginning of the trial of Odukoya over alleged
N1.7 billion theft.

He was led in evidence by Mr Anselm Ozioko, lead counsel to the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), prosecuting the
case.

The legal officer, who is the first prosecution witness, said
that Odukoya, the alter ego of Bellview Airlines and First Nation
Airline (the second and third defendants) had, from 2007 to 2012,
obtained various loan facilities from the bank.

He said: “As at December 2016, he obtained facilities
accumulating to about N3.4 billion and 2.4 million dollars.

“At the point of the first application for these facilities, the
defendant undertook to avail the bank of some collateral.

“The collateral include properties at 29 and 30, Oduduwa Way,
Ikeja, and No. 35, Ladipo Babaye St., Ikeja, which the first
defendant alleged belonged to him.

“On the basis that the property belonged to him, the bank
disbursed the loan facilities to the defendants.

“When the bank commenced mortgage of these properties with
particular reference to the property at No. 29, Oduduwa Way, Ikeja,
with registration No. 33 on page 33 volume 1011 at the Lagos State
Land Registry, Alausa, it was discovered to be false.

“Relying on same, the bank wrote to the Land Registry to confirm
the registered number as furnished by the defendant and the bank
received a response that the referred number does not exist in the
record to the referred property.”

The prosecution witness said that the bank, upon receiving
feedback from the Land Registry, contacted Odukoya who provided a
memorandum of loss, a sworn affidavit, police extract and a March
8, 2013 publication of National Mirror newspaper.

Ogo informed the court that page 50 of the newspaper publication
declared that the title document of the property was missing,
stating that whoever found the document would be rewarded
handsomely.

He said that further investigations by Polaris (Skye) bank
revealed that the registration number of the property was fake and
that Odukoya had used the same property as collateral for another
loan from another bank.

“The bank’s internal investigation in respect of that property
showed that the registration number of that property was Page 5,
Vol. 5 of 1011, which the first defendant had used as
collateral.

“The bank thereafter instructed its external solicitor to
petition the EFCC as regards the act of the defendant.

“The instructed solicitor also wrote to the defendant referring
to the converted sums of the bank which were earlier stated as N3.4
billion and 2.4 million dollars.

“The defendant responded that the referred amount was not
involved but rather it was N1.7 billion.

“Subsequently another petition was written by our lawyer to the
EFCC to carry out investigation on the fraudulent act of the
defendant of obtaining the bank’s money by false representation of
facts.

“Investigations were carried out which consequently made me to
make statements to the EFCC in respect of the suit,” Ogo said.

The witness said that the loans were granted to Odukoya because
his application inferred some urgency for the funds to run the
operations of First Nation Airway and Bellview Airlines.

“My lord, when Bellview Airlines Ltd. was in operation, it
started banking with Skye Bank Plc in 2006/2007.

“First Nation Airways came onboard with the same alter ego of
the first defendant, and upon the application of Skye Bank, there
was a memorandum of understanding wherein First Nation Airways took
over the outstanding indebtedness of Bellview Airline.

“The money has not been returned to the bank, my lord, till
today. This money is about N1.7 billion according to the
defendant,” the Polaris Bank representative said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EFCC is
alleging that Odukoya committed forgery, use of false document and
perjury on March 21, 2013, in Lagos.

According to the prosecution, the defendant forged the
memorandum of loss of Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy
registered as No. 33 at page 33 volume 1011 at the Lagos State Land
Registry, Alausa, Lagos, in order that the document be acted upon
as genuine.

The forged document was alleged to be in respect of a property
located at No. 29, Oduduwa St., Ikeja, GRA, Lagos.

Odukoya is also alleged by the EFCC to have used the false
document, and also gave false information on oath, concerning the
loss of the certificate of occupancy at the Lagos State Land
Registry.

The anti-graft commission also alleged that on Oct. 7, 2016,
Odukoya stole and dishonestly converted to his own use, N1.7
billion belonging to Skye Bank Plc.

The alleged offences violate Sections 85, 86(1) 278(1)(b), 285,
361(1),(a) (b), 363 and 364(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State,
2011.

However, the defendant, who was arraigned on March 15, 2018,
pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge of forgery, use of
false documents, perjury and stealing.

Justice Mojisola Dada adjourned the case until June 24 for
continuation of trial.

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Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim Assumes Duty as DG
NYSC

The newly appointed Director-General of the National Youth
Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, officially
assumed duty on Friday as the 18th director general, with a
five-point agenda to improve the scheme.

Ibrahim, while receiving the mantle of leadership from the
former NYSC boss, Maj.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, at the NYSC
Headquarters, Abuja, said top on his agenda is utilising the
potential of corps members.

The new director general assured corps members that he would
continue to build on the successes and achievements of the former
director general by continuing to pursue a technologically-driven
organisation.

Ibrahim said he would ensure the welfare and security of corps
members and staff, adding that while in office, he would strengthen
existing collaboration with stakeholders.

The new NYSC chief said that he would restructure NYSC ventures,
in line with the NYSC Act.

According to him, “It is an honour and privilege that I stand
before you here to express my sincere and profound gratitude to God
for making today possible.

“My ardent appreciation goes to the President,
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, Minister of Defence and
Chief of Army Staff for finding me worthy to be appointed D-G of
this scheme.

“The outgoing director general has done extremely well to have
lifted the scheme to a higher level. I want to assure him that I
will strive to sustain the achievements and take the scheme to
another pedestal.”

The new director general urged the staff to remain committed to
work, shun malpractice, corruption and ensure teamwork and fairness
in all activities.

The former director general, in his handover address, thanked
the management of the scheme, staff and the media for their
cooperation, support and commitment.

Kazaure urged the staff of the scheme to accord the new director
general the same support and cooperation and assured them that he
would continue to remain loyal and committed to the service of the
nation in his new posting.

He said: “I thank his excellency, Mr President, for giving me
the opportunity to serve the nation as NYSC director general.

“I also thank the Minister of Youth and Sports Development,
Solomon Dalung, the NYSC National Governing Board, stakeholders and
the media for the support given to me in the discharge of my
responsibilities.”

Kazaure was appointed director general of the NYSC on April 18,
2016, and served as the 17th D-G of the scheme until his
redeployment to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre on April 26,
2019.

Until his appointment, Ibrahim, the new NYSC boss, was the
Registrar, Nigerian Army University, Biu in Borno.

Ibrahim hails from Nasarawa State and has a Bachelor and Masters
Degree in History from University of Jos, with a PGDE from Tai
Solarin University of Education and Ph.D in History from University
of Abuja.

The new NYSC director general served in various military
postings around the country, attended series of courses since his
commissioning into the army and is a member of various professional
organisations including the Historical Society of Nigeria
(HSN).

Ibrahim received various military decorations including the
Distinguished Service Star in 2018 and a recipient of series of
awards including promotion from Senior Lecturer to Associate
Professor at Nigeria Defence Academy 2017/2018.

The new D-G is married with children.

By PRNigeria