THE Force Intelligence Department (FID), Police headquarters, Abuja, has opened a thorough investigation into how some commercial banks, working together with some Army officers, cleverly fraudulently manipulated and diverted the sum of N8billion from the accounts of Woods Resources Limited.
The investigation followed allegations that one Victor Ukutt, the minority shareholder of the firm, and Whoba Ogo, in cahoot with some senior Army officers, over the past 13 years, forcefully took over the management of the Nigeria Army Complex, a project executed by the firm, upon its completion, and literally pushed out its substantive Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, James Onyemenam.
It was learned that based on this, Onyemenam went to court in 2011 to seek legal redress, where it was discovered that Ukutt and Ogo did not stop at that, but also allegedly manipulated the company’s different bank accounts by purportedly removing Onyemenam as the majority shareholder and Signatory A, leaving Ogo, the minority shareholder and Signatory B as the sole signatory.
The case has been a subject of investigations by the Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
It was gathered that upon commencement of investigations by the EFCC in 2021, Ogo and his family fled the country and he has since remained in the United States (US), claiming to be terminally-ill.
He had reportedly tried, unsuccessfully, to use the court to stall investigations into the matter, alleging embezzlement and conversion of funds.
He also allegedly initiated several petitions last year to some Police departments, with the aim of harassing and intimidating Onyemenam, including attempts at invading his home and office, leading to the arrest of his landlord, who was mistaken for him.
It was further learned that Onyemenam, on his own volition, reported to the Police, but unsatisfied with the handling of the trumped-up charges against him, wrote a counter-petition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) over the manner the investigation was being handled, prompting the transfer of the investigation to the Force Intelligence Department (FID).
Sources said in the course of investigations, several banks that fraudulently manipulated the company’s accounts were implicated and some senior Army officers indicted.
It was gathered that Ukutt and Ogo had filed about four suits against the IGP, the immediate past DIG in charge of FID and several Police officers for diligently carrying out their lawful duties, as well as orchestrated false reports in the media alleging that AIG Abdulyari Lafia, Onyemenam and others stole over N692million from the account of Woods Resources Limited and called on the IGP to probe the allegation.
Sources said over 87 bank accounts connected to the case were frozen and being investigated, as the Police have vowed not to be cowed or blackmailed into abandoning the long-drawn investigation.
