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Leadway Assurance Company In Trouble Over Multi-Million Naira Fraud – Customer Claims
An Abuja-based man, Jolayemi Woleola has accused an insurance corporation, Leadway Assurance Company of fraud.
He described the attitude and disposition of the company to his insurance claim as appalling, disappointing, annoying and frustrating.
Jolayemi said Leadway Assurance Company came up with different excuses and outright lies to avoid the fulfilment of their obligation towards him.
The statement reads in part, “I entered into a vehicle insurance contract with Leadway covering my Mercedes Benz E 300 2017 model. The insured car was involved in an accident with a trailer on Kubwa express in Abuja on 23/07/2021.
“I presented my claim to Leadway after relevant documents like the police report were issued. The Leadway insurance has maliciously refused to reinstate me to the position I was in prior to the accident.
“Leadway has been coming up with excuses including outright lies to refuse the fulfilment of their obligation towards me.
“Leadway started from questioning the veracity of an accident which threatened my life to outright lies of claiming to visit the hospital where I was treated of bleeding and being told no patient was treated on that day to twisting outright glaring facts as to the value of the Vehicle prior to insuring same.
“They did not go to the hospital and they lied that they went there. When I went back to the hospital, I requested for CCTV footage of the said day that I came to the hospital, the hospital management asked me why and I showed them Leadway letter.
“The hospital said nobody came to their hospital and they said they don’t even discuss their patients’ medical reports or histories with third parties. They decided to issue a medical report to me which I sent to Leadway again.
“The company went as far as making false allegations against me just in a bid to unjustly refuse reinstating my vehicle back to the position it was before the accident.
“Even a demand that I want the vehicle fixed as opposed to being paid cash for the claim has been recalcitrantly treated by Leadway. I think it is pertinent to let the world know of the disposition of Leadway towards insurance claims as evidenced by my situation.
“The pertinent question is – with attitude such as displayed by Leadway, what is the hope for insurance and adequate/efficient service delivery in Nigeria.”
“At a time when public perception of the concept of insurance as a financial tool of protection is low and Nigerian Government’s effort to improve service delivery in the insurance sector and build confidence in the sector, the attitude and disposition of Leadway as a major player in that sector is appalling, disappointing, annoying and frustrating,” he added.
But in a letter to Jolayemi Woleola from Leadway Assurance Company, which was dated September 10, 2021 and signed by Okanke Eze of Claims Department and E.0. Soje for Divisional Director, the company accused the policyholder of breaching the “policy terms and condition guiding the principles of insurance”.
In the letter titled, ‘Re: Our Claim No: AB21C000098PM Our Policy No: PM210002781 AB Accident Involving Mercedes Benz E 300 With Reg No. RBC 123 BL on 23/07/2021 Insured: JOLAYEMI WOLEOLA,’ Leadway said it would only offer N3,769,941.56, which translates to N3,711,755.09 payment after deduction for “Less 1.75% contribution for betterment on replaced items”.
It said among other things, “You disclosed to us that the vehicle was purchased in April, 2021 while the first servicing was done in Lagos before bringing it to Abuja. However, we discovered that the vehicle was sold via auction on 08/09/2020 with primary damage to front end, secondary damage right front and airbags not reinstalled. Being an accident vehicle, the maximum sum insured value is N7,250,000.00 as against the sum insured of N15million placed on same.
“You will agree that this is misrepresentation of facts and breach of utmost good faith which goes to the root of every insurance contract and make void of the contract from inception.
“Furthermore, we observed that an estimate of repairs of N13,443 ,982.77 from Mercedes Benz, Barbados was presented to us when you know fully well that you do not have maintenance records with them. You may refer to the maintenance garage clause in your policy which states that ‘It is hereby declared and agreed that in the event of an accident involving the vehicle covered by this policy, the insured is restricted to obtaining estimate of repairs from maintenance garage engaged for regular maintenance activities or repairs for at least six (6) months prior to the incident or loss.’
“Meanwhile, we discovered that the repairs of the Mercedes Benz E 300 car was usually carried out at Dawab Auto repairs situated along Kubwa Express Abuja. Therefore, going to Barbados other than your usual repairing garage is a pointer that you want to make profit from insurance. This act is also against the principles of insurance as the purpose of insurance is to indemnify you by putting you to the position you were immediately prior to the loss.”
In another letter to Jolayemi Woleola dated October 5, 2021 and signed by Okanke Eze of Claims Department and Onasanya Mustapha for Divisional Director, Leadway Assurance Company said, “We refer to your mail of 17th September, 2021 and letter dated 15th September, 2021 respectively in which you rejected our offer of N3,769,941.56 given to you without prejudice.
“However, we have gone through all the receipts and invoices you attached to your letter under reference and it further indicates that you concealed material facts about the vehicle before insuring same with us. The implication of concealing material facts ab initio qualifies for repudiation of the claim as this makes the contract void.”
It insisted it would not improve its offer, saying, “In view of the above, we have graciously allowed the claim by giving you an offer rather than outright repudiation of the claim as such, we will not be able to improve on the settlement offer and urge you to execute the discharge voucher earlier sent to you to enable us conclude action on the claim and mark our file closed. We look forward to receiving from you shortly.
It further said, “Please be informed that you breached the principle of utmost good faith as you made underwriters believe that you just purchased the car in April 2021 and was yet to register it with Barbados before insuring with us.
“You told us the same thing on the first and second claims. You stated in your mail of June 9, 2021 and August 13, 2021 respectively that you just purchased the car in April 2021 and did the first servicing in Lagos before bringing the car to Abuja and service lasts for 6 months which makes you not to register with Barbados before the accident happened’.
You never mentioned to us that the car was an accident vehicle and you carried out repairs on it prior to insurance cover as evident in your mails under reference. This act is misleading as you already know that the accident vehicle you purchased via custom auction in September 2020 has a lot of issues ranging from key problems, airbags, and other internal issues that underwriters cannot see during the physical pre-loss inspection and this information was concealed.
“To further attest that you want to make profit from insurance, some of the items that are still required to fix the car now with the present damaged condition, the parts that were purchased at N50,000.00, you brought estimate from Barbados charging over N400,000.00 for same parts.
“The side mirror you replaced for N150,000.00, you want us to pay N736,215.00 and N286,693.00 for low arm that is sold for N80,000.00 at shop where you bought same before and you are aware the parts are still available. (Attach herewith is copy of estimate of repairs from Kris-Mekino Investment Co. Ltd. dated 23rd September 2021 confirming the same amount for those items). We have established from the various documents that you carried out massive repairs in Lagos with reasonable cost. It is important to note that the purpose of insurance is to indemnify you by putting you to the position you were immediately prior to the loss. The reason we gave you an offer that was adequate to reinstate the car back to its position before the purported accident.”
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Update : FG, States, LGs Share N1.894trn February Revenue from Federation Account
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared a total of N1.894 trillion among the three tiers of government as federation allocation for February 2026.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the distribution was made from a gross revenue of N2.230 trillion generated during the month.
From the amount shared, the Federal Government received N675.086 billion, the 36 states received N651.525 billion, while the 774 local government councils got N456.467 billion. Oil-producing states also received an additional N110.949 billion as derivation revenue, representing 13 per cent of mineral proceeds.
The statement further disclosed that N77.302 billion was paid to revenue-generating agencies as the cost of collection, while N259.078 billion was allocated for transfers, interventions and refunds.
The ministry explained that gross revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) for February stood at N668.450 billion, compared to N1.083 trillion distributed in the preceding month, indicating a decline of N414.710 billion.
From the VAT revenue, N26.738 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N22.593 billion was set aside for transfers, interventions and refunds.
The remaining N619.119 billion was shared among the three tiers of government, with the Federal Government receiving N61.912 billion, the states N340.515 billion and local government councils N216.692 billion.
Similarly, the gross statutory revenue of N1.561 trillion recorded in February was lower than the N1.957 trillion received in the previous month, representing a decrease of N395.138 billion.
From the statutory revenue, N50.564 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N236.485 billion was allocated for transfers, interventions and refunds.
The balance of N1.274 trillion was distributed as follows: the Federal Government received N613.174 billion, states got N311.010 billion, and local governments received N239.776 billion, while N110.949 billion was allocated as derivation revenue to oil-producing states.
New tax regime designed to boost growth, ease burden on Nigerians — Experts
The ministry noted that revenue from oil and gas royalty as well as excise duty recorded significant increases during the period.
However, it added that collections from Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Hydrocarbon Tax (HT), Companies Income Tax (CIT), Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Stamp Duties (SDT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) declined substantially during the month under review.
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Contempt of Court: How Onwukwem and Associates Ended Up in Jail in Lagos
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In what looked like a syndicate, a Lagos Lanlord, Mr. Lawrence Onwukwem and his gang, who specialise in swindling innocent Nigerians through properties in their care, have run into trouble and earned jail terms for fraud and illegal eviction of a couple, Mr. Olusola Alabi and his wife, Mrs. Olufunmilola Alabi, who rented an apartment from them and were summarily frustrated.
Like a thief whose time of reckoning has come, Onwukwem, alongside his accomplice; Mr. Davies Ijele, Mr. Sodiq Kazeem, and Ms. Peace Igbo, who operates under Green Birch Tech Ltd, was recently jailed for six months each by a Lagos Chief Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Eti-Osa for contempt of court.
The imprisonment of the defendants is due to the contemptuous order of the court. The court held them in contempt, which they displayed all through the court proceedings.
In the charges, marked MISC/MCE/07/2023, the court invoked Section 44(1)(a) of the Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2011 as amended against the Defendants by convicting the Directors of the 1st Defendant (including the 2nd Defendant, Mr. Lawrence Onwukwem (Managing Director) and Mr. Isaiah Davies ljele) and one Sodiq Kazeem, the Estate Manager and one Ms. Chidinmma Igbo, all of the 1st Defendant, for forceful ejection of the Claimant/Applicant for the three (3) Bedroom flat and one (1) Room Boys Quarters with appurtenances situate, lying and being at Block A, Flat 3, No. 96B, Ladipo Omotosho Cole Street, Lekki I, Eti-Osa, Lagos State held by the Claimant/Applicant as a yearly tenant of the 1st Defendant/Respondent by unlawfully trespassing into the said Apartment, forcing the door open, and removing the Claimant’s furniture and electronics, beddings, refrigerator, air conditioners and gas cooker with gas cylinder, etc. and changing the keys to the entrance door, without any Lawful authority of any Order of any Court of competent jurisdiction, whilst the Claimant’s Suit No: MISC/MCE/07/2023: and the 1st Defendant/Respondent’s Suit No: MCE165/CIV/2024 were pending before the Court.
Delivering the judgement, the Chief Magistrate, Kikelomo Olaiya Doja-Ojo, on June 5, 2025, said that Lawrence Onwukwem, Hon. Davies Ijele, Mr Sodiq Kazeem and Ms Peace Chidinma Igbo, were to be sentenced to six months in correctional centre for continuously flaunting the order of the court while also mandated to pay the sum of N250,000 each to the court.
“The claimant is to be restored back to possession. All her belongings removed are to be returned to her immediately,” the CTC read.
Meanwhile, since the court judgement, the couple claimed that only Kazeem is already serving the jail term at Ikoyi Correctional Centre, while the other three have since gone into hiding.
Reacting to the judgement, the couple said that disputes arose following an alleged breach of the tenancy agreement by the landlord, prompting Mrs. Alabi to seek legal redress in court.
The couple said that while the tenancy matter was still pending in court, Mr. Onwukwem and his partners unlawfully broke into the apartment, removed their properties valued at N25million, and subsequently rented out the flat to another tenant.
When this reporter reached out to Mr Lawrence and Ijele for comments, their telephone lines were unreachable.
However, Igbo denied allegations that she was arrested and charged to court for failing to produce Mr Kazeem.
She refuted claims that she stood as surety for Kaeem , insisting that she never signed any legal documents in that capacity.
“They have spoilt my name and career. I don’t know how to reach them. They have issue with a particular person and why involving me instead of meeting those concerned directly. I know nothing about it,” she said.
“For the record, I didn’t sign in as a surety…I was working as a secretary and HR for the firm. I was not a lawyer in that instance. I was in law school in 2021”
She, however, acknowledged that steps have been taken to address the matter, including efforts to obtain a remand order.
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Breaking : UK Tightens Security With Road Closures, No-Fly Zones for Tinubu’s Visit
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Britain will impose airspace restrictions and deploy armed police officers in Windsor next week as President Bola Tinubu arrives for a state visit hosted by King Charles III.
Tinubu is expected to begin the visit in the company of his wife Oluremi Tinubu on Wednesday, March 18, with a reception at Windsor Castle.
Thames Valley Police in a statement on its website on Wednesday, said it is working with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, the Royal Household and other security partners.
The force said airspace restrictions over Windsor Castle, which are in place permanently throughout the year, would be extended on Wednesday, March 18, to cover the period from 7am to 11.59pm.
Chief Superintendent Adrian Hall of Thames Valley Police’s Joint Operations Unit said the air restrictions formed part of a broader security operation for the visit.
“The air restrictions are just one part of our robust security operation for the state visit of Nigerian President Tinubu next week, with many measures you will see and others you will not..
“As a force, we have a vast amount of experience in policing Royal events in Windsor and significant planning, and preparation has gone into this event,” Hall said.
He said the force would take a strong stance in enforcing the restrictions, warning that any breach would constitute a criminal offence under the Air Navigation Order and could lead to arrest.
“We will be taking a strong stance in enforcing the restrictions; anyone who breaches them will be committing a criminal offence under the Air Navigation Order and could be arrested.”
The police chief said officers with specialist capabilities, including search teams, the Mounted Section, road policing, and armed units, would be deployed across Windsor, alongside neighbourhood policing and Project Servator resources.
“We will also be deploying numerous police officers to Windsor with specialist capabilities, including our search teams, Mounted Section, Roads Policing and armed units, while our neighbourhood and Project Servator resources will also be on the ground engaging with the public,” he said.
The authorities will also deploy an extensive closed-circuit television network, hostile vehicle mitigation barriers, and other undisclosed security measures for the event.
Hall said, “We will also be using the extensive CCTV network in Windsor, Hostile Vehicle Mitigation barriers, and many other security measures that you may not be able to see to make sure the event runs safely.”
He urged members of the public to support the security operation by remaining vigilant.
“The public plays a critical role to support us so we encourage them to report any suspicious activity or anything that does not seem quite right by calling 101 or speaking to one of our officers. If there is an immediate threat or emergency, then call 999,” Hall added.
Road closures and parking restrictions will take effect from Tuesday, March 17, with possible temporary disruption to roads in and around Windsor during the visit.
Thames Valley Police said it was being supported by the Civil Aviation Authority and National Air Traffic Services to enforce the flight restrictions. Persons with legitimate reasons for drone flying were directed to email [email protected].
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