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Nduka Obaigbena, a congenital blackmailer and hustler, “lies without shame” Says Alake and Onanuga
Ordinarily, we consider it beneath us as well-bred media professionals to continue to engage in public spat with Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, a congenital blackmailer and hustler, especially in deference to ceasefire calls by well-meaning leaders and elders. The interventions followed our statement on Monday entitled “Obaigbena and His THISDAY/ARISE News’ Hypocritical Grandstanding On Public Morality”.
But we crave the indulgence of these well-meaning Nigerians to allow us respond to Obaigbena’s latest rambling, called a statement.
The largely diversionary composition was an attempt to deodorise his ethical problems.
Obaigbena tried to deflect attention from those pertinent issues we raised about ethics. There is nothing he said to creditably detract a jot from our accurate summation of his well-known perverse and ignoble approach to media practice over the years, a practice that continues to undermine the integrity of journalism profession in the country.
In his first statement attacking us, Obaigbena craftily attempted to mis-characterise as an attack on free speech, our principled stand against his blackmail to have Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu appear on Arise TV and its PDP sponsored Town Hall meetings.
In the second statement, he was still adamant that our candidate must attend his Town Hall debate, despite our stance that our candidate is already executing another communications strategy to reach the most important target: the Nigerian voters. We, repeat again: We will not make our candidate available to validate a scheme which, in the light of unassailable information at our disposal, is nothing but a racket by the Arise TV owner, designed to embarrass our candidate.
We now proceed to give a blow-by-blow response to Obaigbena’s latest very poor attempt at red-herring:
Rigmarole on Dasukigate:
How laughable that Obaigbena is now denying he was not in EFCC custody for receiving illicit funds from National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki. He attempted to rationalise that the money received was compensation for losses incurred by newspaper proprietors following the clampdown by security agents. But he craftily glossed over the meat of the matter: the grave misconduct to have the funds paid into the bank account of Hydrocarbon, a shell company (obviously set up for money-laundering) to which Obaigbena was the sole signatory. Since NPAN has bank accounts, why was the money not transferred there directly?
Moreover, the petty lie in Obaigbena’s statement was punctured by the joint disclaimer issued on 12 December 2015 by Tribune, New Telegraph and Peoples Daily in whose names he had collected money. The three newspapers said they did not receive a kobo.
His claim that he pocketed the chunk of the money received from Dasukigate as compensation for the alleged terrorist attack on his Abuja office is a laughable afterthought.
Rewriting June 12 story:
Contrary to Obaigbena’s lame attempt to rationalise his campaign against June 12 as action taken in furtherance of his membership of National Republican Convention (NRC), nothing can be further from the truth. His long story about sitting close to MKO Abiola on a London-Johannesburg flight begs the questions. He craftily sidestepped the issue of being recruited by the military regime to go on CNN to unconscionably declare “Abiola did not win any election”, shortly after NEC suspended the announcement of June 12 results. That dirty campaign was to prepare the grounds for the eventual annulment on June 23 of the election. If Obaigbena was pro-democracy as he falsely claims, why did he take up media consultancy work to Ernest Shonekan, the head of the Interim National Government, cobbled together by the junta to legitimise the illegality?
South African/London fiascos:
Obaigbena also tried to downplay the gravity of his misadventure in South Africa for which he had to flee, abandoning his office equipment and furniture till today. On one hand, he lied that it was President Nelson Mandela who asked that he set up the newspaper in South Africa because the dominant newspapers in the country were owned by the white establishment. On the other hand, he claimed that the same white establishment frustrated his venture. He forgot that when he floated ThisDay South Africa in 2003-4, a black President was in power!
Contrary to claims that he met a hostile environment, his habitual unethical practices gave him out. His business model of funding his newspapers and a champagne lifestyle from proceeds of blackmail rackets fell flat in South Africa where rules of a good society are rigidly enforced. To deceive advertisers, he inflated his circulation figures which the regulatory agency frowned at. Also, he owed printers and his workers. Gale of complaints against the “carpetbagger from Nigeria” soon reached the authorities and one official was quoted as famously saying, “You call yourself Thisday, very soon it will become That-day”. The prophecy came to pass with chilling accuracy soon after.
On his misadventure in London, Obaigbena disingenuously put it down to Forex crisis as if it happened this year or last year. The details of the judgment by the presiding judge were damning enough: Obaigbena lacks the personal honour and integrity to run any decent company.
His claim that his seven year directorship ban has been appealed is not the full story. He already lost one appeal at the Chancery in August.
Payment of salaries/pension:
Obaigbena tried to deflect his chronic indebtedness as something common in the media industry. It is an affliction peculiar to THISDAY/Arise which purports to make lots of money (as reflected by bumper advert patronage) but curiously still fails to pay workers as and when due. Even when the economy was relatively “good”, Obaigbena never paid workers regularly. His popular saying to staff, as well known in the industry, is that : “THISDAY/Arise ID card alone is your meal ticket”.
Such corrupt philosophy underlies the unethical practices in media companies run by Obaigbena.
A classic illustration of the untold hardship and dehumanization of his workers was provided by Mr. Paul Ibe, who is now the Special Adviser on Media to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Obaigbena tricked Ibe to South Africa with mouth-watering offers. But Ibe ended up enduring hunger there before finding his way back to Nigeria. Following a suit filed at the National Industrial Court in 2011 (suit no NICN/ABJ/26/2011), Mr. Ibe was awarded damages against Obaigbena for backlog of salaries, non-remittance of taxes and pension deducted from his wages over the years and outstanding entitlement. Tens of other staff of Thisday have died due to lack of money for medical care while awaiting Obaigbena to pay them their entitlements.
Open partisanship/Mefy racket:
We observe too that Obaigbena disingenuously sidestepped the questions raised about employing the services of Dr Reuben Abati, a card-carrying member of PDP as anchor person on Arise TV, as well as Obaigbena’s multi-million Naira consultancy role in the ill-fated attempt by a sitting Central Bank governor, Godwin Emefiele to compete for APC’ presidential ticket.
These are weighty moral issues Obaigbena, with all his resourceful facilities to lie and dissemble, could not defend.
Again, we challenge him to deny if Abati wasn’t the running-mate of Senator Buruji Kashamu on PDP’s platform in the governorship contest in Ogun in 2019. Kashamu was a wanted drug lord in the US. Of course, the same Abati, who never allows any opportunity to pass without attacking Asiwaju Tinubu daily, would have been one of those Obaigbena would have lined up at his dubious Town Hall meetings to “interrogate” Tinubu! Such shameless, unethical practice!
Further, while pontificating on public morality, Obaigbena conveniently ignored the perversity of collecting hundreds of millions as “media consultant” to Godwin Emefiele, the occupant of a critical public office from which utmost sobriety and non-partisanship is expected. Through patronizing reportage in THISDAY/Arise, Emefiele was egged on to openly descend into the political arena and bid for the presidential ticket of APC in its last primaries in what is now commonly called the “Mefy racket”.
This has antecedents: Obaigbena was also “consultant” to President Jonathan as he was to Chief Ernest Shonekan. Whatever happened to journalism ethics?
The culture of media merchandising:
In a futile attempt to burnish his image, Obaigbena resorted to dropping the names of U.S. and UK leaders who had attended events staged by him. Dropping the names and pictures of these former Western leaders who attended paid-for-appearance ThisDay events as if they attended when serving in office, is another Obaigbena’s vainglorious clout chasing scheme to scam the public. He failed to disclose that the high-profile personalities who delivered keynote addresses at such events were handsomely paid from money he collected through media blackmail from captains of industries notably bank chiefs. To con the outside world, Obaigbena had boasted in an interview with New York Times that he had corporate fortune of $100m accruing to his company annually. But later, tax officials in Lagos could not reconcile those bogus claims with his tax records and non-remittance of taxes deducted from workers. It was so easy to expose his fake lifestyle.
Since Nduka Obaigbena introduced his blackmail and extortionist brand of journalism into Nigeria, generation of Bank CEOs, company Chief Executives, politicians and Governors from 1999 have suffered in silence, seeking liberation from oppressive journalism by intimidation. In 2009, Nduka Obaigbena raided Niger Delta states with his Thisday Entertainment’s packaged Niger-Delta Peace Concert. He coerced the Niger-Delta Governors then to contribute hundreds of millions of Naira with a promise to bring A-list pop stars such as Jay-Z and Beyonce to perform. After collecting the money the promised superstars didn’t show up. One of the governors was at the airport till almost midnight waiting to receive the superstars. These governors complained and suffered in silence because they were afraid of Nduka and his Thisday Newspaper which he has turned to instrument of oppression.
We took notice of Reuben Abati’s ramblings on Arise TV on his Wednesday Morning Show where he laboured in vain to defend his despicable record and perversions. Abati queried our statement that he is a registered member of PDP.
The query is rather for him. How did he become a deputy governorship candidate to the Late Senator Buruji Kashamu in 2019 without a membership of PDP as required by law?
We really do not expect much from Abati. He is a known pathological liar, who has lived on lies and deceit all his professional life. While he has successfully created the image of a conscientious public intellectual over the years, the fact is that he is a morally bankrupt man who has no scruples in selling his soul to the devil as long as money is involved.
Abati has very odious reputation within the corporate and political circles as “anything goes newspaper columnist” as long as the money is right.
Alake, Adviser, Media and Strategic Communication, and Onanuga, Director of Media and Publicity, sent the statement on behalf of All Progressives Congress (APC) Media and Communication Directorate
Harmonisation of versions begins •Red Chamber okays e-upload to IREV
The controversy over the passage of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026 at the Senate was laid to rest yesterday.
The Red Chamber endorsed electronic transmission of election results, without including the contentious “real-time” provision.
This was shortly before it adopted the Votes and Proceedings of the passage of the Bill, which scaled third reading on February 4, during a rowdy session.
Because the version passed by the Senate did not include “real-time” transmission, unlike the version earlier passed by the House of Representatives, a conference committee of both chambers will harmonise the bills before final approval and eventual presentation for presidential assent.
The amendment of Section 60(3), effected yesterday and passed along with other sections read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, states: “The Presiding Officer shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, and such transmission shall be done after the prescribed Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the Presiding Officer and countersigned by the candidates or polling agents where available at the polling unit.
“But if the electronic transmission of the result fails as a result of communication failure, and it becomes impossible to transmit the result electronically, the signed and stamped Form EC8A by the Presiding Officer, and countersigned by the candidates or polling agents where available, shall in such a case be the primary source of collation and declaration of results.”
This differs slightly from the version passed by the House of Representatives in December, which states: “The Commission shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real time, and each transmission shall be done simultaneously with the physical collation of results.”
The House also passed Section 60(5), which provides: “The Presiding Officer shall transmit the results, including the number of accredited voters, to the next level of collation.”
The Electoral Act 2022, under which the 2023 elections were conducted and which is in the process of being repealed, states in part under Section 60(5): “The Presiding Officer shall transfer the result, including the total number of accredited voters and the result of the ballot, in a manner as prescribed by the Commission.”
Before senators began proceedings yesterday, protesters, for the second consecutive day, gathered in front of the National Assembly to call for the passage of real-time electronic transmission of election results.
Among the protesters was the former Governor of Rivers State and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi.
The police prevented the protesters from gaining access to the National Assembly complex.
Inside the chamber, the Senate passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill after a heated debate in a rowdy plenary session.
At the session presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, senators modified their earlier position on real-time electronic transmission of poll results.
They consequently approved a revised clause mandating electronic transmission of results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV), with a fallback mechanism in the event of network failure.
In such instances, Form EC8A, on which results are recorded, would serve as the basis for collation.
The amendment, once harmonised with the House of Representatives’ version and signed into law by the President, is expected to legalise the use of IREV in the result transmission process, unlike what obtained during the 2023 elections.
There was palpable tension in the hallowed chamber as the initial proposal to adopt the Votes and Proceedings of the previous sitting led to heated procedural disputes, which were carefully managed by Akpabio.
Outside the National Assembly, protesters continued to agitate for the inclusion of the real-time electronic uploading clause, which had been upheld in the House of Representatives’ version of the bill.
The modification followed the approval of a motion by the Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North), titled: “Motion for Rescission on Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026.”
Moving the motion, Monguno recalled that the bill had been passed by the Senate on February 4 but said “fresh issues have emerged in respect of Clause 60(3), which require further legislative consideration to ensure the conduct of smooth, transparent and credible elections in Nigeria.”
Invoking Orders 1(b) and 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023 (as amended), he urged the chamber to rescind its earlier decision on the clause and recommit it to the Committee of the Whole for reconsideration and passage.
Trouble began when Monguno rose to move the motion while the Senate President was reading out the rules on Votes and Proceedings.
His action triggered confusion, with many senators questioning whether the Senate could revisit a decision already taken within the same legislative session.
Some senators argued that Order 1(b) empowered the Senate to suspend normal procedure.
Following a voice vote, the chamber agreed to allow Monguno to proceed.
Monguno said ambiguity surrounding the earlier amendment, particularly the controversy over the use of the words “transfer” and “transmission” of election results, had generated public concern and required urgent legislative clarification.
He proposed a fresh amendment stipulating that presiding officers at polling units must electronically transmit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) after completing and signing Form EC8A.
He added that where electronic transmission fails due to communication challenges, the signed and stamped Form EC8A would serve as the primary source for collation and declaration of results.
After the motion was seconded by Senator Abba Moro, who described the development as “a victory for democracy,” the chamber descended into disorder when the Senate President declared that the voice vote had carried the amendment.
Several senators protested and invoked Order 72, which allows any senator to challenge the opinion of the presiding officer by calling for a division.
Citing Order 72, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe demanded individual voting, triggering loud protests, shouts of points of order, and repeated calls to order by Akpabio.
At the height of the confusion, Abaribe withdrew his request for a division, a move that further unsettled the chamber.
Akpabio ruled that Abaribe’s withdrawal stood, thereby upholding the voice vote that carried the amendment.
Following the approval of the revised clause, the Senate adopted the Votes and Proceedings of the previous sitting, bringing the stormy session to a close.
African currency exchange services
To fast-track harmonisation of the Electoral Bill with the House of Representatives’ version, the Senate expanded its conference committee from nine to 12 members to match the number of conferees from the House.
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The committee is chaired by Senator Simon Bako Lalong, with Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Adamu Aliero, Orji Uzor Kalu, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Iyal Abbas, Tokunbo Abiru, Adeniyi Ayodele Adegbonmire, Jibrin Isah (Echocho), Banigo Ipalibo and Onyekachi Nwebonyi as members.
Expressing optimism that the committee would conclude its work swiftly, Akpabio said: “This is a matter of urgency. If you are able to conclude within the next few days or one week, the President should be able to sign this amended Electoral Bill within this month.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who spoke in Minna, the capital of Niger State, said electronic transmission of results would restore sanity and avert chaos.
However, he expressed doubts about the ability of the proposed law to guarantee real-time transmission.
Atiku said: “This is below the expectations of Nigerians. During the last elections, Nigerians were expecting real-time electronic transmission of election results at various levels of the election, but what we got was a mixture of electronic and manual uploading, which caused more confusion and chaos.
“It will be best if we have a single-tier electronic transmission, which is real-time electronic transmission, which is the preference of all Nigerians.”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) stalwart urged opposition political parties to reject the Senate’s decision to allow manual uploading of election results.
He said: “We need all opposition political parties to pursue this issue. We should not allow it to rest the way they wanted it to rest today at the Senate.”
The African Democratic Party (ADP) warned of likely public distrust of the electoral process if electronic transmission is not upheld.
The party’s National Chairman, Yabagi Sani, said in a statement that “while the Senate’s reversal of its earlier rejection of electronic transmission reflects public pressure and democratic expectation, the ADP notes that a reform that does not guarantee mandatory, real-time transmission cannot restore electoral credibility.”
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the Senate’s modified position as a victory for the resilience, vigilance and rising political consciousness of Nigerians.
He said in a statement: “It demonstrates, in the clearest possible terms, that when citizens act with unity, clarity of purpose and resolve, they can indeed move mountains.”
The ADC credited Nigerians’ coordinated civic actions, noting: “From the street protests to the digital campaigns, the Nigerian people have once again shown that sovereignty truly belongs to them.”
Hailing the protesters, Abdullahi added: “We salute the courage and tenacity of Nigerians. We commend every citizen who raised a voice, whether online or offline, to resist legislative mischief that threatened to undermine our electoral integrity.”
A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), said the adoption of real-time upload of results would engender public trust and close electoral loopholes.
He said the regulatory process must be adequately backed by law.
Agbakoba noted in a statement that the 2023 election exposed a critical gap in the electoral legal framework, recalling that despite INEC’s deployment of the IREV portal for electronic transmission of results, the Supreme Court ruled that the innovation lacked legal force.
The human rights lawyer explained that the IREV portal currently serves only for public viewing and is not admissible as evidence of results in election petitions.
He said: “The message was unmistakable: without explicit statutory provision, electronic transmission remains optional and legally inconsequential, no matter how transparent or efficient it may be.
“This legal gap creates an insurmountable evidentiary burden in election petitions.”
The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP rejected the Senate’s position on transmission of election results, describing the senators as “clever by half.”
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said in a statement that the addendum introduced by the Senate to allow manual transmission was a backdoor attempt to achieve the same objective as the earlier rejection.
The statement reads in part: “We have taken note of the outcome of the Senate’s reconsideration of its earlier position on the real-time electronic transmission of election results, wherein an addendum was introduced to permit manual transmission where technology is said to fail.
“We hold the firm view that this addendum is nothing more than a backdoor attempt to achieve the same objective as the earlier outright rejection, while pretending to align with the wishes of the Nigerian people.
“Manual transmission is already sufficiently provided for under the Electoral Act. The current agitation for electronic transmission is aimed at introducing a second-layer authentication mechanism that prevents the alteration of results en route to collation centres, a malpractice that has historically been the bane of Nigeria’s electoral process.
“Furthermore, it is inconceivable that the same BVAS technology, which successfully undertakes accreditation throughout an election, would suddenly become unreliable for the transmission of results and accreditation data arising from that same exercise.
“This caveat is a clear indication of the humongous fear being harboured by senators opposed to electronic transmission, particularly Senate President Godswill Akpabio, whom we reasonably suspect remains haunted by the ghost of his 2019 election loss, occasioned by the deployment of technology to curb over-voting.
“They must be reminded that Nigeria is bigger than their narrow personal and political interests.
“We therefore urge members of the Conference Committee to adopt the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives as the harmonised position, if indeed they are committed to delivering credible elections in 2027.
“They must rise above the instincts of politicians fixated on the next election and instead focus on the sustenance of democracy and the protection of future generations.
“Should this democracy fail, the names of Senator Akpabio and all senators who voted against electronic transmission will undoubtedly occupy a conspicuous chapter in the book of infamy.
“We also call on Nigerians to remain resolute in their demand for real-time electronic transmission of election results. This is no time for excuses. This hard-won democracy is far too valuable to be left in the hands of politicians alone.”
The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has accepted to be the Royal Father of the Day at the New Telegraph Awards Night/ Dinner holding at the Grand Ballroom of the Oriental Hotels, Lagos this Friday.
That is as veteran Elder journalist and former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, has also accepted to be the Chairman of the event.
The New Telegraph Awards Night/Dinner is a high octane event, where governors, captains of industry, banking and financial institutions and executives as well as public, private sector players and sports personalities would be honoured.
Nine state governors from across the country have confirmed their attendance at the event, with other awardees expressing delight and anticipation towards the event.
In a letter conveying his choice as the Royal Father of the Day, the Management of Daily Telegraph Publishing Company, publishers of the New Telegraph, Saturday and Sunday Telegraph titles informed the paramount ruler and the number one Yoruba king that his choice was borne out of his dedication to excellence and public good in his 10-year reign as the Paramount Ruler of the Yoruba Nation.
“Your Highness, it is important to let you know that you were chosen because of your position as not only the Paramount Ruler of one of the largest and homogenous nations in Nigeria, but also because of your dedication to service, excellence, reward and honesty in your over 10-year reign on the throne of your ancestors.
The letter was delivered to him personally by the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, Mr Ayodele Aminu. Similarly, Aremo Osoba, a former Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Times and Grand Patron of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, was chosen because of his close association with his profession, several years after serving as governor.
Osoba is ever present in the activities of journalists and editors, despite being a leading political figure in the country.
According to Aminu, Osoba reflects the dream of not only journalists but every profession because he did not forget his roots and easily identifies with his colleagues, no matter the gap in age and experience.
More applicants have approached the Federal High Court in Abuja over some properties linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The applicants prayed for the setting aside of the interim forfeiture order made against some of the property linked to the former minister.
They argued that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to establish any nexus between their property and any unlawful activity, contrary to Section 135 of the Evidence Act and the Advance Fee Fraud.
In their separate motions on notice filed by their lawyers, the applicants – Alhaji Muktaka Usman Junju, and Rayhaan Bustan and Agro Allied Limited – urged the court to vacate and discharge the order made on January 6 by Justice Emeka Nwite.
Junju, a businessman, through his lawyer, Kalu Kalu Agu, prayed the court to set aside the order made on property listed as Number 40 by the EFCC.
Rayhaan Limited, an agricultural food production company, through its lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), also asked the court to remove property listed as numbers one, 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32 from the list of property brought by the anti-graft agency.
The duo, in their applications, also prayed the court for an order directing the immediate restoration of their possession, control, and enjoyment of the listed property from the 57 property sought to be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the property listed as number 40 in the EFCC’s schedule is Al-Afiya Energy Tanker Garage, opposite Rayhaan University Health Centre, along Sani Abacha Bypass Road, Birnin-Kebbi, valued at N2,450,000,000.00.
Property Number One is a luxury duplex at Amazon Street, Plot Number 3011 within the Cadastral Zone, A06 Maitama; File Number: An enhancement 11352, which was purchased in December 2022 at N500,000,000.00 (value after enhancement at N5,950,000,000).
Property numbers 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32, which are under Rayhaan Agro Allied Factory in Kebbi, include Factory Buildings, Factory Machines and Plants Units, Factory Mosque, Rayhaan Mill Staff Quarters and Rayhaan Bustan Building, valued at N4,200,000,000.00; N10,500,000, 000.00; N2,450,000,000.00; N1, 487,500,000.00; and N3,150,000, 000.00 respectively.
NAN reports that Justice Nwite had, on Jan. 6, ordered the interim forfeiture of the 57 property suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities linked to Mr. Malami.
The multi-billion naira landed properties are located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano and Kaduna States.
The judge granted the order following an ex parte motion moved by the EFCC’s lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, to the effect.
Malami was the AGF and Minister of Justice in the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Nwite, in the ruling, also directed the publication of the interim order of forfeiture in any national daily, inviting any person(s) or body (ies) who might have an interest in the property to show cause, within 14 days of the publication, why a final order of forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria should not be made.
Although the case was formerly before Justice Nwite, the case file had been transferred by the chief judge to Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a sister court for adjudication.
Also in his motion on notice dated January 26, but filed January 28 by Agu, Junju stated that the property listed as Number 40 belonged to him.
According to Junju, the root of title and acquisition history are described in the schedule attached to the affidavit in support of the motion, as Exhibit A.
Nigerian Property Investment
His lawyer argued that the commission had not established that the property was proceeds of an unlawful purpose, which, he argued, robbed the court of jurisdiction.
Agu submitted that the EFCC had failed to comply with the constitutional and statutory dictates of Section 44(2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 17(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006, requiring it to disclose specific particulars of the alleged unlawful act committed and the applicable laws.
Besides, he said the court did not conduct a global review of the entire documents and exhibits attached to the commission’s motion ex parte filed on January 6 and granted the same date, “which constitutes an abdication of its judicial duty to properly consider the application to ensure there is a reasonable suspicion that the property was linked to unlawful activities.”
The lawyer argued that Junju duly purchased the land in question “from an original allottee, by name Alhaji Usman Na’Allah Bunza and has no link with Malami, SAN or any Al-Afiya Garage.”
“Respondent (EFCC) is guilty of fraud and non-disclosure of material facts regarding ownership and acquisition of property of the applicant (Junju) forfeited in the interim by the orders of this honourable court.
“The interim forfeiture was procured in violation of Section 5 of the Assets Tracing, Recovery and Management Regulations 2019, having not been initiated through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation,” Agu said.
Also in his argument, Daudu, in their motion dated Jan. 19 but filed Jan. 23, said Rayhaan Ltd, by law, is a corporate person and can acquire and own property anywhere in Nigeria.
He described Rayhaan as “a limited liability company, duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) pursuant to the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).”
The senior lawyer said properties listed as Nos. 1, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 all belonged to the company.
“The applicant’s property Number One was acquired with payments made from Excel Merchants Ltd in favour of the applicant,” he said.
Daudu also said the property numbers 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32 were acquired by the company from banking facilities granted by NEXIM BANK, the Bank of Industry and Access Bank Plc.
“The NEXIM Bank loan has now been called in by reason of the interim order of forfeiture of January 6, 2026.
“Zenith Bank Plc, which had guaranteed the loan, has revoked the guarantee by reason of the interim order of forfeiture of January 6, 2026, and has commenced daily interest charges on the outstanding sum,” Daudu said.
The lawyer argued that the EFCC did not establish that the assets listed as numbers one, 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32, in the interim forfeiture order were proceeds of some unlawful activities, as required under Section 17 (1) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act 2006, and that no predicate offence was linked to the acquisition of the property.
He also argued that the court was not invoked and prompted to conduct a global review of the entire documents and exhibits attached to the motion ex parte, “which constitutes an abdication of its judicial duty to properly consider the application to ensure that there is a reasonable suspicion that they were linked to unlawful action.”
Daudu aligned with Agu that the EFCC “is guilty of fraud and non-disclosure of material facts regarding ownership and acquisition of properties of the applicant forfeited by the orders” of the court.
He submitted that the proceedings of January 6 amounted to unlawful deprivation of property, denial of fair hearing and abuse of court process, urging the court to set the same aside.
Malami had, equally, filed a motion, praying the court to vacate the interim order of forfeiture against his property.
Also, Justice Egwuatu has fixed February 12 for the hearing of the matter.
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